WALES

Offshore Wind Farms

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future development of offshore wind farms in Wales.

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future development of offshore wind farms in Wales.

Peter Hain: The Government are deeply concerned about the extent of climate change and the future security of energy supply. Offshore wind and other forms of renewables will be vital to meeting the UK's energy needs.

National Health Service (Capital Investment)

Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with National Assembly for Wales colleagues on capital investment in the NHS in Wales over the next three years.

Nick Ainger: I have regular discussions with the Assembly Minister for Health and Social Services on a range of issued including the capital investment programme in Wales.
	The Welsh Assembly Government is overseeing significant new capital expenditure in the NHS which will increase from £120 million in 2005–06 to £309 million in 2007–08.

Employment Levels

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what change has occurred in the level of employment in Wales since 1997.

Peter Hain: There are over 100,000 more people in employment in Wales today than there were in 1997. This represents an increase in the employment rate of almost 4 percentage points.

Employment Levels

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on employment levels in (a) Alyn and Deeside and (b) Wales.

Peter Hain: Over the past year, employment levels in Wales have been historically high-over 1.3 million peple in Wales are in employment. Alyn and Deeside also enjoys high employment, with an employment rate that is higher than the Wales average.

Wylfa Nuclear Power Station

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of the Wylfa nuclear power station.

Nick Ainger: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) assumed responsibility for the decommissioning and clean up of the UK's civil nuclear legacy on 1 April 2005. The NDA has set out its plans for the decommissioning and clean up of its sites including Wylfa in its draft Strategy. The draft indicates that Wylfa will cease generation by 2010.
	Anglesey Aluminium Metal Ltd, which is a significant employer to the area, currently takes most of its energy from Wylfa, is reviewing its future energy supply beyond 2010, in conjunction with the Welsh Assembly Government.

Homelessness

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the take-up of benefits available to tackle homelessness in Wales.

Nick Ainger: In 2004–05 housing benefit payments in Wales totalled £560 million.
	An additional £900,000 was provided in discretionary housing payments to claimants who needed further assistance in meeting rent or council tax payments.
	This year, the Welsh Assembly Government have provided £76.4 million in social housing grant. This is an increase of £17 million over last year and will rise to £96.4 million in 2007–08.

National Police Force

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the proportion of the Welsh electorate which supports the establishment of a national police force for Wales.

Peter Hain: I have not made such an estimate. Police authorities in Wales have led on consultation with the public and stakeholders in developing their proposals for restructuring. I expect that this consultation will continue throughout January.
	However, having discussed the issue with a wide-range of interested parties, I can see no realistic alternative to a single strategic force for Wales.

Anti-poverty Strategies

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Aberavon of 15 December 2005, Official Report, columns 2275–6W, on anti-poverty strategies, under what section of the Government of Wales Act 1998 the National Assembly is empowered to formulate an international development strategy.

Peter Hain: holding answer 16 January 2006
	The draft Welsh international sustainable development framework covers a broad range of activity some of which will fall within the Assembly's duty to promote sustainable development under s 121 of the Government of Wales Act 1998.
	The National Assembly for Wales will have additional powers from April 2006 under the International Development Act 2002. These powers are subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for International Development.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Audible Fire Alarms

Bob Spink: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what proportion of the premises occupied by the Church Commissioners is fitted with audible fire alarms.

Stuart Bell: All the offices occupied by Church Commissioners' staff (at 1 Millbank and Elizabeth House, Waterloo) are fitted with audible fire alarms.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Audible Fire Alarms

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House what proportion of the premises occupied by his Office is fitted with audible fire alarms.

Geoff Hoon: All space occupied by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons at 2 Carlton Gardens is fitted with an audible fire alarm.
	My Office also occupies office space in the House of Commons. Fire alarms are the responsibility of the Serjeant at Arms.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a definitive statement about the deployment of troops into Helmand Province in Afghanistan; and what their role will be.

John Reid: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the statement made on 14 November 2005, Official Report, column 41WS by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces.
	As he said then, and as I previously informed the House on 7 July 2005, Official Report, column 479, the United Kingdom has preliminary plans to support the expansion of the NATO-led ISAF mission in Afghanistan by establishing a British-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in the province of Helmand.
	Work continues within NATO on the configuration of the international force package for ISAF expansion in southern Afghanistan. We will take decisions in light of this work, and will inform the House at the earliest opportunity.

Atomic Weapons Establishment (Aldermaston)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Crown immunity applies in the case of the AWE planning application for a new laser facility at Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The normal planning process cannot be used for the proposed Atomic Weapons Establishment Orion Laser Development at Aldermaston because the Ministry of Defence (MOD), as a Crown Department, is not subject to the statutory planning process and is therefore not legally able to submit formal planning applications.
	I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 December 2005, Official Report, column 1348W. It explained that the MOD follows a consultation process with the local planning authority under DoE Circular 18/84 which largely mirrors the statutory planning system. It is this Department's policy to support any development proposals with the same level of background information that would be required under the statutory planning system.
	The MOD works closely with local authorities to address any concerns raised in connection with any development proposals. The Local Planning Authority can also stipulate conditions when responding. While the perception may be that my Department claims Crown Immunity" from planning regulation, it does in fact follow the practice of the normal planning process and also strives to follow its principles.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what commercial services the Defence Export Services Organisation provides to companies in relation to identifying potential agents in export markets.

Adam Ingram: pursuant to the reply, 13 July 2005, Official Report, c. 1076W
	This should have read, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 July 2005, Official Report, column 259W. Any information provided to United Kingdom companies by the Defence Export Services Organisation is concerned only with the selection of suitable agents. It is our policy not to advise on agents' commission.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, 
	(1)  on how many occasions the Defence Export Services Organisation has provided advice to UK companies on the selection of agents in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what mechanisms the Defence Export Services Organisation uses to record the advice given by its (a) British-based and (b) overseas staff to companies on the selection of agents;
	(3)  whether the Defence Export Services Organisation provides (a) off the shelf lists and (b) bespoke lists of companies in relation to the selection of agents.

Adam Ingram: pursuant to the reply, 10 October 2005, Official Report, c. 10W
	I regret that in referring the hon. Member to an earlier answer, I gave inaccurate details. I should have referred to the answer I gave him on 5 July 2005, Official Report, column 259W.

Project Coast

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Government became aware of the South African Government's Project Coast.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government was aware of the existence of legitimate South African chemical and biological defence programmes from the 1980s. Initial reports indicating offensive chemical biological weapons activities (later known as Project Coast") were not received until 1993, but they were inconclusive, although there were unsubstantiated claims of chemical weapon use by South African forces in Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in the 1980–90s. More detailed evidence of previous offensive activities was received in the years leading up to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in 1998, when further details of the offensive activities emerged. In 1994, we understood that the South African Government had terminated offensive chemical and biological weapon activities.

UK Nuclear Deterrent

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions his Department has had with his US counterparts about bilateral co-operation on stockpile stewardship and maintenance of Trident.

John Reid: Discussion and co-operation involving MOD officials, AWE personnel, and their US counterparts, on issues relating to stockpile stewardship and the maintenance of Trident, takes places regularly under the auspices of the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement and the Polaris Sales Agreement (amended for Trident). The principal purpose of this co-operation is to help us to ensure the continued safety, availability, and reliability of the deterrent.

UK Nuclear Deterrent

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions his Department has had with his US counterpart about the Government's policy that decisions on Trident's replacement will be taken in this Parliament;
	(2)  what recent discussions his Department has had with his US counterparts about the next generation of the UK nuclear deterrent; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Mr. Moore) on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2120W, and the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 560W.

White Phosphorus

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines (a) he and (b) his predecessor has set out for UK armed forces on the use of white phosphorus; when these guidelines were last (i) reviewed and (ii) amended; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: holding answer 21 November 2005
	British Forces possess white phosphorus munitions in Iraq for the purpose of producing a smoke screen to provide cover and thus protection for our soldiers on the battlefield. Guidelines for its use emphasise that it should not be deployed as an anti-personnel weapon. The relevant infantry training guidelines were last reviewed and training literature subsequently amended in 2003 in order to reinforce the prohibition of the use of white phosphorus against personnel.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Anti-retroviral Medicines

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made in developing new anti-retroviral medicines for children suffering from HIV/AIDS in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has been working with the international pharmaceutical industry in a number of ways to increase access to medicines, including for the treatment of HIV and AIDS, and for children.
	In March 2005 DFID, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Health, launched a framework encouraging 'good practice' in the pharmaceutical industry to increase access to medicines. The framework contained a number of recommendations on how companies could increase access to medicines in developing countries, including through making medicines more affordable and through more research on diseases affecting developing countries. The framework encourages investment into new medicines for children among other areas.
	The UK also provides support to increase research into treatments and vaccines for diseases affecting developing countries, including for HIV and AIDS. This includes tax credits and direct support to product development public private partnerships. DFID has funded research on the use of existing medicines in developing country settings, such as a trial of co-trimoxazole that significantly reduced mortality among children living with HIV.
	DFID will continue to ensure the needs of children and other vulnerable groups are addressed as we work towards scaling up to universal access to treatment by 2010, as agreed by the G8 and by the millennium review summit. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), has established a Global Steering Committee, which the UK will co-chair. Plans will be based on the principle of country ownership—recognising the need to work through existing national structures and processes and focus on mobilising countries to scale up in line with the 2010 target.
	In addition the Global Steering Committee will encourage countries to identify obstacles and develop solutions, including addressing the development of appropriate treatments for key groups, such as children.

Departmental Equipment

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) personal computers, (b) laptops, (c) servers, (d) printers, (e) scanners, (f) photocopiers and (g) fax machines (i) his Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) executive agency and (C) other public body for which his Department is responsible in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, (3) each English region and (4) Northern Ireland owned in (x) 2003–04 and (y) 2004–05.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the Member to the reply given by my right. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, to the hon. Member for Tatton, on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 21W, for the total figures for each asset type in DFID for 2004–05.
	DFID maintains a database of current assets, and records of purchases made in each year. Neither provides breakdowns of specific types of equipment owned in previous financial years, to obtain this information would incur a disproportionate cost.

HIV/AIDS (Paediatric Care)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if he will list the countries in which his Department has funded projects which aim to improve access to paediatric anti-retroviral therapy;
	(2)  if he will list the (a) organisations and (b) countries his Department is working with on paediatric HIV/AIDS projects;
	(3)  how much of the £150 million the UK has committed to spend on children living with HIV will be spent on paediatric treatment programmes;
	(4)  what measures his Department has in place to monitor the proportion of child beneficiaries of the treatment programmes it funds;
	(5)  what further work has been undertaken to ensure HIV-positive children receive co-trimoxazole since the funding by his Department of Medical Research Council research into its benefits in 2004.

Gareth Thomas: Taking Action, the UK's strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world, published in 2004, states that, our support for children affected by AIDS is reflected in all of DFID's country assistance plans in all affected countries. This comprehensive approach includes prevention, care and treatment as well as recognising the impact AIDS has on society, including increasing orphan rates. DFID's expenditure reporting reflects this comprehensive approach and given the aid instruments we use, it is not possible to disaggregate between moneys spent on treatment and those used for other AIDS related activities.
	The UK funds AIDS programmes in nearly 40 countries and works with a variety of organisations in respect of children affected by AIDS. DFID's spend on AIDS is not solely through bilateral programmes. A significant proportion is spent through multilateral instruments including the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the World Bank, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO); these play a role in funding paediatric treatment and care. The UK also finances a wide range of Civil Society organisations, including local NGOs such as the Dananai and Mavambo Trust in Zimbabwe, who are ensuring over 4,000 vulnerable children are able to attend school and that traumatised children receive appropriate counselling.
	In Malawi, for example, as part of DFIDs support to the National AIDS programmes, there are now over 60 facilities in Malawi delivering anti retroviral therapy for HIV and over 37,000 people on treatment. The numbers are increasing, around 4,500 people starting on therapy in the first three months of last year. 95 per cent. are over 13 years old and 81 per cent. of people who have ever taken treatment are alive. The UK will continue to advocate for comprehensive AIDS programmes that meet the needs of children as well as adults.
	The WHO reports 1 that access to HIV care and anti-retroviral therapy has not been extended widely to children. However, data is incomplete and the UK has urged the WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and others to track the extent to which treatment and care programmes are meeting the needs of the poor, women and children.
	The Global Partners Forum on Children Affected by HIV and AIDS, which the UK is hosting in early February, will explore the current obstacles to treatment of children with HIV and AIDS, as well as other services and needs. In addition, the Global Steering Committee on Scaling up Towards Universal Access, which in turn is due to report to the UN General Assembly High Level meeting in June 2006, is considering the obstacles to scaling up access to treatment for children, including the lack of appropriate and effective diagnostic tools and treatments.
	Following publication of the DFID-funded Medical Research Council research findings, the WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF issued a joint statement in November 2004 on the use of cotrimoxazole as a prophylaxis in HIV exposed and HIV affected children.
	The joint statement advocates that prophylactic dosing with Cotrimoxazole for HIV infected children with any sign or symptoms suggestive of HIV is a key intervention that should be offered as part of a basic package of care to reduce morbidity and mortality.
	The document further states that Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis is also a crucial potentially life saving intervention that should be given to all HIV exposed children born to HIV- infected mothers, in settings where HIV infection status cannot be reliably confirmed in the first 18 months of life.
	Following the joint statement, Cotrimoxazole is now universally accepted as a standard treatment package for all children exposed to HIV and on treatment and it is advocated for all children with HIV, regardless of whether they are receiving treatment.
	As a follow on to the Cotrimoxazole study DFID is providing funding support for a further trial through the Medical Research Council to examine the best use of anti-retrovirals for children.
	1 Progress on Global Access to HIV Antiretroviral Therapy—an update on 3 by 5" June 2005

Terminator Seeds

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on proposals for changes to the United Nations convention on biological diversity to legalise an international market in terminator seeds.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Terminator seeds are plants bred using genetic use restriction technologies known as GURTs. The parties to the United Nations convention on biological diversity decided, in 2000, that there should be a precautionary approach to the use of GURTs while research into the possible impacts of these technologies was carried out. Parties at the meeting in March, this year, will consider a recommendation by the convention's subsidiary body for scientific technical and technological advice to reaffirm the previous decision. The subsidiary body's recommendation also encourages parties to continue to undertake further research on the impacts of GURTs and to share information from these studies and addresses capacity building for decision making in developing countries. Parties at the meeting will also consider a report on related matters from one of the convention's inter-sessional working groups before deciding what further decision is appropriate.
	Our position at the meeting will take full account of these reports, as well as the EU's own regulatory regime which requires that no GM seed may be marketed in the EU unless it has been specifically approved by the member states. Decisions on applications to market GMOs are made on a case-by-case basis taking full account of a scientific assessment of the particular GMO and the risks associated with its use against the criteria in the EU legislation. An application for a GMO incorporating GURTs would be dealt with in the same way as any other GMO. Approval would only be granted if the evidence showed that a deliberate release of the GMO would not pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.

World Trade Organisation

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will (a) place in the Library and (b) post on his Department's website documents prepared by his Department for the trade negotiations meeting in Hong Kong; which departmental officials accompanied him to the meeting; and what carbon offset measures were established to cover the Department's delegation.

Gareth Thomas: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, attended part of the conference; he was accompanied by his principal private secretary. DFID officials who attended all or part of the conference with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, as part of the UK delegation, were: the Director of Europe, Trade and International Financial Institutions Departments, the Head of the International Trade Department and other departmental officials.
	No carbon offset measures specific to this conference were established, but DFID is committed to reducing carbon emissions from official air travel and, together with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has developed a pilot programme to help neutralise greenhouse gases. Under this pilot Programme, DFID staff can exchange air miles earned on official travel for earth miles" at an agreed conversion value. Our aim is for partner airlines to return some of the revenue from flights sold to DFID to pay for a portfolio of 'carbon offset' projects. Carbon offsets, for example, clean energy technology or sustainable land use would neutralise carbon dioxide emissions and contribute to sustainable development in developing countries. We have set up agreements on this with three major airlines. In addition to this pilot programme, the Prime Minister has announced that offsetting would apply to all central Government Departments from April 2006.
	I have arranged for the document entitled 'trade and development package for G90' which was prepared by DFID for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial in Hong Kong to be deposited in the Libraries of the House. It sets out our view of a package of measures to assist the least developed and other poor and vulnerable WTO member countries—a 'development package'. The UK has been working to build international support for these measures, on which some progress was made in Hong Kong. Other documents produced in the run up to the ministerial will not be made public, since to do so may prejudice the Government's ability to negotiate in the UK's interests and would be likely to prejudice our relations with other states.
	Additionally, for further information, I have also arranged for the document entitled 'trade matters' to be deposited in the Libraries of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Electricity Consumption

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate has been made by his Department of the amount of electricity used by (a) television sets, (b) video recorders, (c) DVD player recorders, (d) microwave ovens, (e) modems and (f) answerphones in stand-by mode.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	While we do not collect detailed information available about all appliances that have a stand-by function the Government's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) does have information relating to the energy consumed in stand-by for those appliances that account for the large majority of energy consumed in UK households. This information is set out in MTP Briefing Note BNXS36 (available via www.mtprog.com).
	Estimates of the electricity used in stand-by mode in 2004 for those appliances listed in the question is set out as follows:
	
		
			  GWh 
		
		
			 (a) Television sets 1,113 
			 (b) Video recorders 2,282 
			 (c) DVD Player recorders (1)238 
			 (d) Microwave ovens 415 
			 (e) Modems (2)19 to 456 
			 (f) Answerphones (3)c140 
		
	
	(1) Information only available for all DVD's including players and recorders.
	(2) The actual figure will depend on determining more exact usage patterns. At present MTP has only limited information on usage.
	(3) This figure is a best estimate based on limited information.

Exports (Poland)

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value of UK exports to Poland was in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004.

Ian Pearson: In 2003, the UK's exports of goods and services to Poland amounted to £1,861 million. In 2004 this increased to £1,889 million.

Food Retail Sector

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of current trends in food retailing in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department's economists keep abreast of the considerable body of research that is publicly available on food retailing trends in the UK. The Department itself also commissions and publishes relevant food and drink research from time to time, such as AEA Technology's report on 'food miles' published in July 2005 and work currently under way regarding productivity levels.

Imports (Burma)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value was of imports from Burma into the United Kingdom in 2005, broken down by type of product.

Ian Pearson: Information on the UK's imports of goods from Burma are not yet available for the whole of 2005. The latest data available is for the period January to October 2005. This is provided in the following table:
	
		UK imports of goods from Burma January to October 2005: At 2 digit Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) level
		
			 SITC Description £000 
		
		
			 84 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories 17,209 
			 03 Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, etc. (not marine mammals) 4,514 
			 82 Furniture, bedding, mattresses, cushions and similar stuffed furnishing 3,711 
			 63 Cork and wood manufactures (excluding furniture) 1,073 
			 69 Manufactures of metal nes 820 
			 85 Footwear 804 
			 24 Cork and wood 783 
			 05 Vegetables and fruit 531 
			 89 Miscellaneous manufactured articles nes 313 
			 71 Power generating machinery and equipment 203 
			 07 Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof 181 
			 76 Telecoms and sound recording and reproducing apparatus 180 
			 9- Low value and other goods not classified elsewhere 169 
			 77 Electrical machinery, appliances, nes and parts thereof 121 
			 66 Non-metallic mineral manufactures 74 
			 83 Travel goods, handbags and similar containers 42 
			 81 Prefabricated buildings; sanitary, plumbing, heating, lighting 30 
			 62 Rubber manufactures nes 26 
			 75 Office machines and ADP equipment 21 
			 88 Photographic apparatus, supplies & optical goods, watches and clocks 21 
			 65 Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles, nes 17 
			 64 Paper, paperboard, and articles of paper pulp; etc. 5 
			 12 Tobacco and tobacco manufactures 3 
			 87 Professional, scientific and control instruments (and apparatus nes) 3 
			 67 Iron and steel 2 
			 74 General industrial machinery and equipment, nes 1 
			 79 Other transport equipment 1 
			  Total UK imports of goods from Burma 30,857 
		
	
	nes = Not elsewhere specified.
	Source:
	HM Revenue and Customs Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS 1).

Namibia

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to promote trade with Namibia; and what the value of UK exports to Namibia was in (a) 2004 and (b) 2003.

Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment is the lead UK Government organisation that supports UK companies trading internationally and overseas companies seeking to locate in the UK. UK companies can access the UKTI website for information and contact the Southern Africa Desk for general advice on exporting to Namibia. There is no UKTI commercial representation in Namibia itself. However, our high commissioner in Windhoek can provide lobbying support for UK companies pursuing major contacts in Namibia. UK exports to Namibia totalled £10.1 million in 2003 and increased to £17.4 million in 2004.

Nuclear Industry

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the nuclear power industry on pre-licensing agreements.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 16 January 2006
	In the course of the Department's normal work, I regularly meet with companies with interests in the nuclear power industry, where we discuss a wide-range of issues relating to energy policy. I have not had any specific representations on pre-licensing arrangements from the nuclear power industry.

QDF Castings Ltd.

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations his Department has received about the (a) acquisition, (b) administration, (c) closure and (d) liquidation of QDF Castings Limited of Derby.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not received any representations about the acquisition of this company's assets.
	The company went into administration on 1 August 2005 and I have dealt with correspondence concerning the subsequent effect on the employees of this company. The administrators have a duty to provide a report to creditors within eight weeks of the company going into administration and further reports covering periods of six months, from the date of the administration, are also provided to creditors; the Secretary of State does not receive such reports. The administrators are required to report to the Secretary of State on the conduct of the directors but the report is confidential and is not yet due.
	The legislation provides that the administration should be concluded within a year unless either the court or the creditors consent to an extension of that time limit. Upon conclusion of the administration a company may not necessarily go into liquidation. If there are no assets left to distribute to creditors it may be dissolved.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Vehicles

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many abandoned vehicles were removed and destroyed in eachlocal authority area in Kent in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Estimates for abandoned vehicles removed and destroyed in England have been compiled in the Defra municipal waste management survey since 2001. The figures for the last five years for local authorities in Kent are shown in the table. The figures from 2004–05 are collated through waste dataflow survey. At present we do not have a full return for 2004–05 but have received the figures for Kent, which are included in the table with the exception of Medway for which 2004–05 data is not yet available.
	
		
			 Local authority 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Ashford 612 686 774 1,071 214 
			 Canterbury 809 974 1,052 625 305 
			 Dartford 483 706 598 200 121 
			 Dover 469 683 524 358 171 
			 Gravesham 884 942 1,035 790 390 
			 Maidstone 1,015 1,386 1,647 648 184 
			 Medway 1,157 2,512 2,618 1,999 — 
			 Sevenoaks 498 532 1,057 338 163 
			 Shepway 733 859 815 643 179 
			 Swale 738 976 882 524 260 
			 Thanet 950 1,271 2,327 1,776 452 
			 Tonbridge and Malling 557 632 607 597 133 
			 Tunbridge Wells 688 695 734 450 168

Air Quality

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies her Department has (a) conducted and (b) funded into air quality in the UK since 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department funds an extensive programme of research into the causes, effects and control of air pollution and air quality. Since 2001, the Department has operated between 50 (in 2000–01) and 65 (in 2003–04 and 2004–05) individual research and non-research contracts. These are spread across five research programmes—strategic policy analysis; eutrophication and acidification; photochemical pollution; toxic air pollutants; and ambient air—with a total value of around £10 million per year. Details of the individual contracts, including total value, lead contractor and final reports (where applicable), can be accessed via the UK National Air Quality Information Archive: http://www.airquality.co.uk/archive/contracts/index.php; the majority of contracts span between three and five years.
	In 2005, Defra developed a draft Evidence and Innovation strategy, in order to ensure that research programme continued to support and inform departmental priorities. The Department has undertaken a consultation process on its draft strategy, which closed on 12 January. The consultation document can be accessed via the internet (http://defraweb/science/how/strategy.htm). The strategy splits also the air pollution research programme into five categories:
	quantifying the exposure of human populations and/or ecosystems to pollutants through measurement and modelling
	assessing the relative contributions to these exposures from source sectors both in the UK and elsewhere
	assessing the impact of air pollution
	assessing policy options and their delivery
	effective strategies and communication to positively impact on behaviour in order to improve air quality.
	The following table lists all of the contracts currently in operation, broken down by Evidence and Innovation category and research need. The total budget for these contracts for 2005–06 is £9.7 million.
	
		Current AEQ projects: Arranged by E and I category and research need
		
			 E and I category Research need/Project title Current projects 
		
		
			 Quantifying exposure 1. Monitoring—Automatic Urban and Rural Networks CMCU of the automatic urban and rural networks 
			   QA/QC services for the Automatic Urban and Rural Monitoring Networks 
			   To provide standard gases to sites in the UK national automatic air quality monitoring networks 
			   CMCU of the London automatic air quality monitoring network 
			
			  2. Monitoring—hydrocarbon networks Non-automatic Hydrocarbon network (2004–07) 
			   Automatic Hydrocarbon network (2004–07) 
			
			  3. Monitoring—toxic air pollutants TOMPs Network 
			   PAH monitoring in the UK 
			   Heavy metals monitoring network 
			  4. Monitoring—Smoke, SO 2 , NO 2  non-automatic network NO 2  Smoke and SO 2  Non-Automatic Monitoring 
			
			  5. Monitoring—Particle concentrations and numbers Monitoring airborne particulate concentrations and numbers in the UK—Phase II 
			
			  6. Monitoring—Deposition networks Management and operation of the UK acid deposition monitoring network 
			   Ammonia monitoring in the UK 
			   Management and Operation of EMEP Supersite (am) 
			
			 Source attribution 7. Emission Inventories National Atmospheric Emission Inventory and Greenhouse Gas Inventory 
			   EA Fuel Analysis-SCLF 
			
			  8. Modelling of atmospheric processes and pollutant concentrations Global Modelling of Transboundary Air Pollution 
			   Acid deposition processes in the UK 
			   UK Application of Eulerian Models at Fine Spatial Resolution 
			   Modelling concentrations and deposition of long range air pollutants 
			   UK Pollution Climate Mapping—Phase II 
			   The UK Application of the EMEP Model 
			   Modelling of tropospheric ozone 
			   Dispersion modelling of air pollutants in urban areas in the UK—Phase II 
			
			  9. Research on the characterisation of particles Non Exhaust Particulate Matter Emissions from Road Traffic 
			   Characterization of Particulate matter in the UK 
			
			  10. Research on source attribution of particles How to estimate the benefits to health that might follow reductions in roadside concentrations of pollutants 
			   Links between urban ambient particulate matter and health—particle metrics 
			
			 Assessing impacts 11. Monitoring—Acid Waters Monitoring Network UK Acid Waters Monitoring Network 
			
			  12. Environmental effects of acidification, eutrophication and ozone Critical Loads and Dynamic Modelling for Acidity and Nitrogen 
			   Terrestrial umbrella—eutrophication and acidification of terrestrial ecosystems in the UK—new contract

Avian Influenza

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to improve surveillance to try to prevent avian influenza in the United Kingdom.

Ben Bradshaw: We have introduced new surveillance arrangements on certain species of migratory water birds with our European partners, and we are working closely with a range of industry groups. Poultry keepers in the UK have also been advised on improved biosecurity and surveillance measures.

Biodiesel

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the proportion of crops grown for biodiesel production which were used in the production of biodiesel in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how much land was used to produce crops for biodiesel production in the last period for which figures are available.

Elliot Morley: In 2005, 39,000 hectares of oilseed rape were grown on non set-aside land in England under the Energy Aid Scheme for use in the production of biodiesel. A further 26,000 hectares were grown on non set-aside land for industrial use but further details of the end-use are not available. 67,000 hectares of oilseed rape were grown on set-aside land for industrial use. Further details of the end-use are not available, but most is likely to be for biodiesel production.

Chemicals (Safety Investigations)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Environment Agency report 'Better Environment, Healthier People', 
	(1)  which categories of chemicals she will prioritise for health and safety investigation after flame retardants and pharmaceuticals;
	(2)  what plans she has to accelerate further research to establish the health and safety implications of the 30,000 untested industrial chemicals in commercial use.

Elliot Morley: The Government have set up a UK Co-ordinated Chemical Risk Management Programme, led by DEFRA and the Environment Agency. The Programme has been put in place to take forward the hazard and risk assessment, and risk management, of chemicals in the period leading up to the first assessments under REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), which is the main vehicle for assessing the large number of chemicals in use about which we currently have insufficient data.
	The following criteria will be used to help select chemicals for inclusion in the programme:
	their potential persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity;
	chemicals being considered as substitutes for a restricted substance;
	chemicals that have been nominated by industry and which meet the criteria for inclusion in the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) programme;
	chemicals manufactured or widely used in the UK.
	The UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum also continues to investigate groups of chemicals based on their potential persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity and to make recommendations to the Government based on this work. The categories of chemicals currently being addressed by the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum include phenols and cresols, plastic additives and aromatic amines.

Energy Efficiency (Swindon)

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding is available to promote energy efficiency among households in Swindon.

Elliot Morley: Support for energy efficiency among households is available through a number of routes. Details of grants and offers for energy efficiency measures in a particular area are available, by postcode, on the website of the Energy Saving Trust, which is funded by my Department to promote and support energy efficiency in the household sector. This includes grants under the Government's Warm Front programme—to increase the energy efficiency of vulnerable households, contributing heavily to the eradication of fuel poverty in the UK. The Trust also runs a network of Energy Efficiency Advice Centres (EEACs) which provide free, impartial and locally relevant advice to householders. The Swindon area is covered by the Dorset and Wiltshire EEAC.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Committee for the implementation of legislation on ambient air quality assessment and management, (b) Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the air quality limit values and guide values for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates and (c) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the directive on air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: There were no meetings of the three air quality Committees during the UK presidency.

European Council

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department has obtained from the European Commission on the action plan on energy efficiency to which reference was made at paragraph 17 of the conclusions of the European Council meeting on 17 December 2005.

Elliot Morley: The European Commission published its Green Paper on Energy Efficiency, Doing More With Less" in June last year. Consultation on the proposals in the Green Paper for improving energy efficiency within the EU closes on 31 March 2006. Following the close of consultation, the Commission have announced their intention to produce in 2006 an Energy Efficiency Action Plan which will set out those concrete actions that the Commission intend to take forward from the Green Paper, accompanied by the necessary cost-benefit analyses.

Microgeneration

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work her Department undertakes on the promotion of microgeneration, with particular reference to the promotion of crops for microgeneration; and how many civil servants in her Department are dedicated full-time to such work.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 16 January 2006
	The Department of Trade and Industry leads for the Government on microgeneration. DEFRA works closely with them in the identification and development of cost effective measures to help new and existing microgeneration technologies make a significant contribution to our energy policy goals. DEFRA has a particular interest in micro-combined heat and power (CHP) and is supporting the Carbon Trust in its assessment of the carbon saving potential of this technology.
	DEFRA is keen to promote the use of biomass for heat and power generation. Grants are available to establish energy crops and to set up producer groups and supply chains for biomass. Farmers can receive the Single Payment for energy crops grown on set-aside or where the €45/ha energy aid payment is claimed for crops on non set-aside land. Research to improve disease resistance and crop yields is being undertaken. A cross-departmental team is looking carefully at the recommendations from the Biomass Task Force on ways to overcome the barriers to developing biomass energy. The Government will publish a full response by April.
	A number of officials work on the promotion of CHP and biomass energy, which includes issues relevant to microgeneration.

Milk Sales

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much milk was sold through retail outlets in each year since 1990; and what proportion of this was imported.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table shows the relevant figures:
	
		Estimated UK household purchases and imports of drinking milk (million litres)
		
			  UK household purchases(4) Imports(5) Imports as a percentage of purchases 
		
		
			 1990 5,854 20 0.3 
			 1991 5,697 36 0.6 
			 1992 5,952 65 1.1 
			 1993 5,876 52 0.9 
			 1994 5,925 66 1.1 
			 1995 5,867 86 1.5 
			 1996 5,680 66 1.2 
			 1997 5,714 62 1.1 
			 1998 5,593 55 1.0 
			 1999 5,482 37 0.7 
			 2000 5,630 35 0.6 
			 2001(6) 5,193 30 0.6 
			 2002(6) 5,059 26 0.5 
			 2003(6) 5,157 22 0.4 
			 2004(6) 5,034 33 0.6 
		
	
	(4) Estimated by Defra using the Expenditure and Food Survey and ONS figures for the resident UK population.
	(5) Source HM Revenue and Customs.
	(6) From 2001 onwards estimated purchases are for the financial years 2001–02, 2002–03 etc.

Moles

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department issues on allowable products for exterminating moles following the removal of the authorisation for the use of strychnine.

Elliot Morley: In August 2005 the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), an Executive Agency of DEFRA, wrote to relevant stakeholders explaining the implications of the removal of the authorisation for the use of strychnine and advising on alternative methods of control. This information is available on the PSD website (www.pesticides.gov.uk/approvals.asp?id=1475) and includes details of two aluminium phosphide fumigant products currently approved for use (Luxan Talunex and Phostoxin).
	Other methods of control are available including traps, repellents, habitat modification and fencing. In 2004, recognising the difficulties that removal of the strychnine authorisation could cause we commissioned the Central Science Laboratory to undertake a review of the range of controls. A copy of the report is available on the DEFRA website (http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/reports/mole-review.pdf).
	DEFRA's Rural Development Service has also published a Technical Advice Note (No.3) on mole control, including use of the two fumigant products. This is available on the DEFRA website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/rds/publications/technical/TAN_03.pdf

Operation of Legislation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the operation of the Slaughter of Poultry Act 1967;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the operation of the Slaughterhouses Act 1974.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government are satisfied with the operation of the Slaughter of Poultry Act 1967 and the Slaughterhouse Act 1974. Sections of these Acts were repealed by the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995.

Packaging Waste

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage manufacturers and retailers to reduce packaging waste, with particular reference to supermarkets.

Ben Bradshaw: Last year the Government launched the Courtauld Commitment, a voluntary agreement between 13 major retailers and WRAP to reduce packaging waste. There are three broad objectives to meet, which are:
	i. to design out packaging waste growth by 2008;
	ii. to deliver absolute reductions in packaging waste by March 2010; and
	iii. to identify ways to tackle the problem of food waste.
	The are also two sets of Regulations which cover packaging in the UK both of which encourage producers (including retailers) to minimise packaging. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005 are intended to increase the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. The amount of packaging waste producers have to recover and recycle is determined, in part, by the amount of packaging they handle. Therefore businesses can save money if they reduce the amount of packaging they use around their products. The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (as amended) place a number of requirements on all packaging placed on the market in the UK, including a requirement that packaging should be manufactured so that the packaging volume and weight are limited to the minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and for the consumer.
	Although legislation is one way of reducing packaging consumers also have a part to play. For example, if consumers made a point of choosing goods that are not heavily packaged, or bought 'loose' food rather than pre-packaged, or used their own shopping bags or boxes, manufacturers would be more inclined to reduce the quantity of packaging on their products.

Pesticides

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to monitor the impact of pesticides on biodiversity.

Elliot Morley: The pesticides forum, and the industry-led voluntary initiative for pesticides, have produced and published biodiversity indicators. These include monitoring populations of indicator bird species such as the grey partridge, corn bunting and yellowhammer and are in line with the Government's overall biodiversity action plan process.
	In addition the voluntary initiative's indicator farms project is looking, on an experimental basis, at possible impacts on a wide range of species on individual farms within the project.

Pesticides

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of reducing the volume of pesticide on the impacts of pesticides on the environment.

Elliot Morley: It is Government policy to focus on reducing the environmental impacts of pesticides rather than the total amount of pesticide used. This is because impact depends on a variety of factors of which the volume used is only one. Different pesticides can be active at very different rates and replacing a pesticide used at high volume with a more active one used at lower volume would reduce the volume used but may have no environmental benefit or could even be counter-productive.

Pesticides

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms she will use to assess the effectiveness of the national pesticides strategy in reducing (a) pesticide use and (b) the environmental impact of pesticides.

Elliot Morley: The action plans to deliver the strategy for the sustainable use of plant protection products will contain indicators against which to assess the impact of specific actions. These indicators will include a measure of the quantities of pesticide used which will be monitored through the department's pesticide usage survey. Indicators of environmental impact will include measures of water quality and impacts on biodiversity.
	The development of environmental indicators is an active area of research and we envisage that new indicators will be introduced as the strategy is taken forward.

Pesticides

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the amenity sector's use of pesticides on biodiversity; and what steps she plans to take to minimise the use of diuron.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency's monitoring data shows that the impact of amenity use of herbicides is mainly on surface water. The herbicide diuron, which is quite widely used in the amenity sector, is the principal pesticide found.
	Diuron is currently under review as part of a wider EC programme under of Directive 91/414 /EEC. We expect a decision on its future authorisation within the next few months.
	The new statutory code of practice for the safe use of pesticides, which will be published this month, sets out in detail best environmental practice to minimise the entry of diuron into surface water.

Pesticides

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the regulatory system for the approvals of pesticides will include an assessment of the indirect effects of pesticides on biodiversity.

Elliot Morley: The regulatory system under the EC Authorisations Directive (91/414/EEC) on the marketing of plant protection products requires an assessment of the direct effects of pesticides on various non-target plants and animals. It does not require an assessment of the indirect effects of pesticides on biodiversity.
	Directive 91/414/EEC is due to be replaced by a new EC regulation and we expect a proposal from the European Commission later this year. We will be considering whether the regulatory system should be extended to include an assessment of indirect effects and, if so, how that might be done, in the context of that proposal.

Pesticides

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects research into the development of a banded pesticides tax will be completed.

Elliot Morley: A study of key design issues for potential economic instruments carried out by Risk and Policy Analysts Limited (RPA) for the Department was published in September 2004. The review by RPA built on the work by ECOTEC Research and Consulting Limited in 1999 (reference ISBN 1 851121 60 9, price £50.00). The RPA report is available on the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/chemicals/pesticides)

Pesticides

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for developing a model to evaluate the effectiveness of the voluntary initiative on the environmental impact of pesticide use.

Elliot Morley: A project has been carried out by Enviresearch Ltd and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne to develop a framework to inform subsequent assessment of the performance of the Voluntary Initiative (VI) in delivering environmental benefits. This project is now being peer reviewed prior to publication, and will be available for use as a basis for the assessment of the current VI programme which runs to the end of March 2006.
	We will appoint consultants to carry out an assessment of the initiative in the next few months with a view to the assessment being completed by the end of 2006.

Pigeons (London)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of London's pigeon population in each year since 2000.

Ben Bradshaw: We do not hold information on London's pigeon population.

Racehorses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many racehorses were reported as (a) being poorly treated, (b) lost and (c) stolen in each of the last seven years.

Ben Bradshaw: We do not hold information on the number racehorses being poorly treated, lost or stolen.

Recovered Fuel Oil

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the environmental consequences of a switch from recovered fuel oil to virgin fuels in those industries that use recovered fuel oil;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the alternatives to recovered fuel oil that will be used in (a) the manufacture of coated road stone and (b) other industrial processes after the Waste Incineration Directive is implemented in domestic law;
	(3)  what recent studies she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to compare the carbon dioxide and other emissions from burning (i) recovered fuel oil and (ii) gas oil.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has not made these assessments and studies. That is because industries switching from the use of recovered fuel oil to virgin fuels will remain subject to environmental regulation under the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000. It is therefore for the regulator to set emission limits and other permit conditions according to the general principles of those Regulations that installations should be operated in such a way that (a) all the appropriate preventative measures are taken against pollution, in particular through application of the best available techniques; and (b) no significant pollution is caused. Those principles apply irrespective of the type of fuel and provide a high level of protection for the environment. However, where oil is waste as defined under the EU Waste Framework Directive, the regulator is obliged to set emission limits at least as stringent as those set out in the Waste Incineration Directive.

Recycling

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many recycling points there are per 1,000 population in (a) the constituency of Ruislip-Northwood, (b) the London borough of Hillingdon, (c) Greater London and (d) England.

Ben Bradshaw: Requested figures, based on the 2003–04 Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey and 2003 mid-year population estimates are shown as follows:
	
		
			  recycling points per 1,000 population 
		
		
			 London borough of Hillingdon 0.29 
			 Greater London 0.55 
			 England 0.41 
		
	
	Recycling points are considered as both civic amenity and recycling sites within the area.
	Data at constituency level are not available.

Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department is the lead department drafting the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.

Elliot Morley: The Department for Transport leads on the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation. They consult closely with the other Departments, including DEFRA, which have an interest in this issue.

River Thames (Raw Sewage)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cubic feet of raw sewage has been discharged into the River Thames in London in each of the last three years.

Elliot Morley: The current estimates, from the supplementary report by the Thames Tideway Strategic Study, of average annual volumes of overflow discharges (sewage mixed with collected rainwater) from the London system is 32 million cubic metres from the sewer overflows and 20 million cubic metres from treatment works. A combined average annual total of about 52 million cubic metres.
	Work is now in hand to increase the capacity of the treatment works at Beckton, Crossness and Mogden to reduce the frequency and volumes of overflows connected with these works. And I, along with Ofwat, am considering what further actions may be required in the light of the two latest reports on the sewage overflow discharges, received in December 2005, from the Thames Tideway Strategic Study and from the independent review commissioned by Ofwat.

Scrapie (North Ronaldsay)

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many instances of scrapie have occurred in North Ronaldsay sheep in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Three instances of scrapie have occurred in North Ronaldsay sheep in the last five years. Two cases occurred in 2004 (although one of these was a North Ronaldsay crossbred sheep). One case occurred in 2005.

Sustainable Development

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the report, Leading by Example? Not Exactly, published by the Sustainable Development Commission on 16 December 2005.

Elliot Morley: The Sustainable Development in Government (SDIG) Report 2005 published by the Sustainable Development Commission demonstrated that there had been some improvement in departmental performance against the operational targets in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. However, it also clearly signalled that there was much more to be done to improve the way that the Government manages sustainably its land and buildings.
	The Government accepts that more needs to be done to improve its operational performance. In order to address this issue, the UK Sustainable Development Strategy (Securing the future, March 2005) included a commitment to review the framework and deliver a significant improvement in its operational performance.
	The SDC's report was the first SDIG report to be published wholly independently of Government.
	The UK SD strategy commits all Government Departments and their Executive agencies to produce focused sustainable development action plans (which cover both policy and operational issues) based on the strategy by December 2005. Departments are then expected to report on their actions by December 2006, for example in their departmental annual reports and regularly thereafter. The Sustainable Development Commission will be commenting on these plans during 2006.

Turkey

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make representations to the Turkish Government requesting that the slaughter of birds in that country necessitated by the spread of avian influenza is carried out humanely.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chief Veterinary Officer has already discussed this issue with the European Commission. In addition the State Veterinary Service Director of Operations is travelling to Turkey shortly to lead a UN Food and Agriculture Organisation mission explicitly discussing disease control and animal welfare issues. We have also been asked to provide specific expertise in animal disease emergency work to help with the control of avian influenza in Turkey. We will continue to engage practically and positively on these issues.

UK National Allocation Plan

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the EU is taking concerning the UK National Allocation Plan.

Elliot Morley: Following the judgment of the Court of First Instance the European Commission must consider the UK's amendment to its National Allocation Plan. It does not direct the Commission to accept our proposed increase in the total cap to 756m allowances. The UK awaits the Commission's considered decision before taking further steps.

Wildlife

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the veterinary profession on veterinarians' responsibilities for the treatment of wildlife.

Ben Bradshaw: There have been no specific discussions on this issue with the veterinary profession, although general guidance issued by the British Veterinary Association reminds veterinary surgeons of the need to bear in mind their professional and ethical obligations.
	There are, of course, a number of animal diseases where wildlife may act as a reservoir or a source of infection. The veterinary profession is closely consulted on the control of such diseases and is aware of legislative controls relating to animal welfare and the taking, treatment and release of wildlife specimens.

TREASURY

Breast Cancer

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the figures for the number of women who (a) were diagnosed and (b) died from breast cancer in 2004 to become available; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning when the figures for the number of women who (a) were diagnosed and (b) died from breast cancer in 2004 are expected to become available. (42947)
	The most recent available information on registration of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer are for the year 2003. Figures for 2004 are due to be published in September 2006.
	Figures on the number of women who died from breast cancer in 2004 were published in December 2005 in the volume Mortality Statistics Series DH2 no.31, which is available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/Dh2_31/DH2No31.pdf

Child Trust Fund

Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 658W on the child trust fund, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing this information.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost of providing the information would have greatly exceeded the disproportionate cost threshold of £600.

Child Trust Fund

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Child Trust fund vouchers have been issued to families in Castle Point to date.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire, North (Jim Sheridan) on 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 658W.

Economic Inactivity

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were classed as economically inactive in each of the last 10 years in (a) Great Grimsby, (b) Cleethorpes, (c) Brigg and Goole and (d) Scunthorpe.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question concerning economic inactivity. (42673)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles statistics of inactivity for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. The attached table shows the numbers of inactive people of working age, resident in Great Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Brigg and Goole and Scunthorpe constituencies, for the 12 month periods ending February 1997 to February 2004 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 months ending March 2005 from the APS. The table also shows the number of inactive people as a percentage of the total working age population resident in each constituency.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	
		Numbers and rates of working age persons resident in Great Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Brigg and Goole, and Scunthorpe parliamentary constituencies who are economically inactive
		
			  Great Grimsby Cleethorpes 
			 12 Months ending Economically inactive (£000) Economic inactivity rate(7) (percentage) Economically inactive (£000) Economic inactivity rate(7) (percentage) 
		
		
			 February 1997 15 27 9 18 
			 February 1998 11 25 8 16 
			 February 1999 14 27 14 25 
			 February 2000 12 23 14 25 
			 February 2001 12 23 10 18 
			 February 2002 13 24 10 19 
			 February 2003 12 23 12 21 
			 February 2004 11 20 11 22 
			 March 2005 12 23 11 20 
		
	
	
		
			  Brigg and Goole Scunthorpe 
			 12 Months ending Economically inactive (£000) Economic inactivity rate(7) (percentage) Economically inactive (£000) Economic inactivity rate(7) (percentage) 
		
		
			 February 1997 7 14 8 14 
			 February 1998 12 21 10 20 
			 February 1999 10 21 10 21 
			 February 2000 9 23 14 28 
			 February 2001 13 24 11 26 
			 February 2002 10 21 12 26 
			 February 2003 10 20 12 27 
			 February 2004 10 19 13 26 
			 March 2005 9 19 12 24 
		
	
	(7) Rate as a percentage of the resident population of working age (men aged 16 to 64, women aged 16 to 59).
	Source:
	Annual local are labour force survey; annual population survey

Economic Inactivity

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many working-age people not in full-time education were economically inactive in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about economic inactivity.
	The attached table gives the estimated numbers of economically inactive people of working age, who were not in full-time education, for the three month periods ending in August from 1991 to 2005.
	Estimates are taken from the Office for National Statistics's Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		Inactive people of working age(8) who are not in full-time education—United Kingdom
		
			 Three month periods ending August Thousands 
		
		
			 1997 6,376 
			 1998 6,360 
			 1999 6,254 
			 2000 6,273 
			 2001 6,369 
			 2002 6,361 
			 2003 6,346 
			 2004 6,412 
			 2005 6,311 
		
	
	(8) Includes men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
	Source:
	ONS, labour force survey

Employment (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of those in employment in Castle Point were employed in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector in each year since 1996.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about private and public sector employment. (42829)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics for the United Kingdom of public sector employment from a quarterly survey of public sector organizations. However, estimates at local area level are not available.
	Information at local area level is available from the Annual Population Survey (APS)/annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) of individual people in households. However, in this source, the categorization of employment in the public or private sector depends upon the responses from the individuals interviewed. As reported by ONS in October 2005 in the publication Public Sector Employment Trends", some individuals tend to misreport private sector employment as being in the public sector hence leading to overestimates of the share of public sector employment.
	With this reservation about the data quality, the attached table shows the proportions of public and private sector employment in the Castle Point constituency shown by the annual local area LFS for the 12 month periods ending February 1997 to February 2004 and by the APS for the 12 month period to March 2005.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	
		Persons in employment resident in the Castle Point constituency by private-public sector split(9)
		
			  Proportions (per cent.) 
			 12 months ending February: Private sector Public sector Total in employment (000) 
		
		
			 1997 n/a n/a 37 
			 1998 n/a n/a 40 
			 1999 84 16 41 
			 2000 83 17 41 
			 2001 83 17 45 
			 2002 84 16 43 
			 2003 86 14 42 
			 2004 83 17 41 
			 March 2005 79 21 44 
		
	
	(9) Public/private sector split based on responses from individuals responding to the annual local area Labour Force Survey and the Annual Population survey—generally overestimate public sector employment.
	Note:
	Percentages are based on exact levels for each year and then rounded
	n/a—not available.
	Source:
	Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey.

Employment Rates

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the percentage employment rate was for the working age population in (a) the 12 months to June 1997 or closest equivalent period and (b) the last 12 month period for which figures are available in each parliamentary constituency, listed in descending order according to the difference between the two rates.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment rates by parliamentary constituency. (41026)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey and the Annual Population Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions. Table 1, attached, shows employment rates for persons of working age, resident in each parliamentary constituency in Great Britain, including the former Scottish constituencies superseded in May 2005, for the 12 months ending February 1997 and for the 12 months ending December 2004, listed in descending order of the difference between the two rates.
	Estimates for the new Scottish constituencies introduced in May 2005 are not available for the 12 month period ending February 1997. Table two, attached, shows the employment rate for persons of working age, resident in these constituencies, for the 12 months ending December 2004.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	Since the information is so extensive, copies of these tables have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

G7 Presidency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made during the UK's presidency of the G7 on (a) the international finance facility, (b) proposals for debt relief, (c) access to medicine for women in developing countries and (d) increasing development aid; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Substantial progress was made in 2005 under the UK presidencies of the EU and the G7/8. The international community has committed to raise an additional $50 billion of aid by 2010, to cancel 100 per cent. of the multilateral debts of the world's poorest countries, and to launch the 'International Finance Facility for Immunisation'.
	G8 leaders have also agreed to achieve, as close as possible, universal access to AIDS treatment for all those who need it by 2010, and work on advance purchase commitments for vaccines for malaria, HIV/AIDS and other diseases of poverty.

Government Expenditure

William Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what provision was made in the Government's spending plans contained in the pre-Budget report, in advance of the meeting of the European Council on 15 and 16 December 2005 for (a) an increase in UK contributions to the EU budget owing to changes to the rebate and (b) an increase in UK contributions to the EU budget due to an increase in the EU budget's share of EU gross national income; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what provision (a) has been and (b) will be made to meet the increase in UK contributions arising from (i) the reduction in the EU rebate and (ii) the increase in the EU budget's share of EU gross national income; and whether such provision (A) has been and (B) will be met from (1) a rise in tax revenue and (2) a reduction in expenditure.

John Healey: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dunbartonshire on 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2796W.

Income Levels (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Castle Point residents were in (a) the top 10 per cent. and (b) the bottom 10 per cent. of income earners in (i) 1991 and (ii) 2001.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available at constituency level.

Marine Bill

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the Marine Bill.

John Healey: The Treasury is in regular and frequent contact with other departments about legislation falling within their spheres of responsibility.

Middle East

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the (a) Government's support for the Palestinian Authority's medium-term development plan and (b) the outcome of the conference on private sector investment in the West Bank and Gaza held in London on 13 December 2005.

John Healey: The Quartet Special Envoy for Disengagement, Mr. James Wolfensohn, has identified several key issues for Israeli disengagement from Gaza to be judged a success. While these mostly concern improved movement and access for Palestinians, the development of a credible Palestinian medium-term development plan is one of the issues where a small amount of support could have a transformative impact. At the request of the Palestinian Authority, the Department for International Development, together with the World Bank, is providing technical assistance with the preparation of such a plan. It will be important that the plan is effectively implemented and that the international community lends its full support. A key outcome from the conference held in London to promote economic growth in the West Bank and Gaza through the private sector was the Joint Declaration from Israeli and Palestinian business leaders on the steps required for promoting Palestinian economic growth and their expectations from the Palestinian Authority, Government of Israel and the international community. The Declaration (available in PN109/05 on the HM Treasury's website) includes an action plan to overcome obstacles to private sector led investment and growth with the establishment of a Private Sector Working Group. The first meeting of the Private Sector Working Group is expected to take place this month, at which the parties will agree their forward work plan. The Government will work with the World Bank to support the Group.

Plastic Bags

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had about introducing a tax on plastic bags.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wimbledon on 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 93W.

Population Statistics

Caroline Spelman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate the (a) Government and (b) Office for National Statistics has made of the proportion of the population aged 45 years or older in (i) England, (ii) the United Kingdom, (iii) outer London, (iv) inner London and (v) each Government Office Region in (A) 1997 and (B) the most recent year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the estimated proportion of the population aged 45 years or older in (a) England, (b) the United Kingdom, (c) outer London, (d) inner London and (e) each Government Office Region, in 1997 and for the most recent year for which figures are available. (42844)
	The table below shows the total population, the population of those aged 45 years or older and the percentage of those aged 45 years or older for the above mentioned areas in 1997 and 2004.
	
		Mid-year population estimates for 1997 and 2004 and percentage of the population aged 45 and over
		
			 Thousand 
			  Persons all ages Persons age 45+ Percentage population age 45+ 
			 Area 1997 2004 1997 2004 1997 2004 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 58,314.2 59,834.3 22,701.0 24,118.3 38.9 40.3 
			 England 48,664.8 50,093.1 18,966.0 20,105.7 39.0 40.1 
			
			 Government Office Region   
			 North East 2,568.1 2,545.1 1,016.7 1,070.9 39.6 42.1 
			 North West 6,794.4 6,827.2 2,667.1 2,778.3 39.3 40.7 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 4,957.6 5,038.8 1,942.6 2,048.1 39.2 40.6 
			 East Midlands 4,120.3 4,279.7 1,633.1 1,771.4 39.6 41.4 
			 West Midlands 5,262.3 5,334.0 2,065.2 2,168.1 39.2 40.6 
			 East 5,266.9 5,491.3 2,107.9 2,295.9 40.0 41.8 
			 London 7,014.8 7,428.6 2,327.3 2,371.1 33.2 31.9 
			 South East 7,853.1 8,110.2 3,140.0 3,355.5 40.0 41.4 
			 South West 4,827.3 5,038.2 2,066.2 2,246.1 42.8 44.6 
			 Wales 2,894.9 2,952.5 1,197.9 1,271.6 41.4 43.1 
			
			 Inner-London 2,672.4 2,931.1 787.4 790.3 29.5 27.0 
			 Outer-London 4,342.5 4,497.5 1,540.0 1,580.9 35.5 35.1 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures may not add exactly due to rounding.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Population Statistics

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the predicted net change in (a) population and (b) number of households, in (i) Merseyside, (ii) Newcastle-upon-Tyne, (iii) Stoke on Trent, (iv) Kingston upon Hull, (v) the North East government office region and (vi) the North West government office region, over the next 20 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the projected change in population and household numbers over the next 20 years. (42889)
	The Office for National Statistics produces official subnational population projections for England. The most recent set of population projections are 2003-based and use local trends in births, deaths and migration over the reference period 1999 to 2003 to formulate assumptions on levels of fertility, mortality and migration for future years.
	The attached table shows the projected population of the areas of Merseyside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Stoke on Trent, Kingston upon Hull, the North East government office region and the North West government office region from the 2003-based subnational population projections.
	Household projections are the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Interim 2002 based household projections for the Government Regions are published on the ODPM web site at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/104/Table405Excel30KbJdll56104.xls.
	Updated projections for districts are currently in production.
	
		Table 1: Projected population and year-on-year net change for selected areas in England 2003-based subnational population projections
		
			 Thousand 
			 Area  2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
		
		
			 Merseyside (metropolitan county) Projected popn 1,361.5 1,359.1 1,357.1 1,355.3 1,353.7 1,352.2 1,350.9 
			  Net change — -2.3 -2.0 -1.8 -1.7 -1.5 -1.3 
			  
			 Newcastle upon Tyne (metropolitan district) Projected popn 265.5 264.6 263.9 263.4 262.9 262.5 262 1 
			  Net change — -0.9 -0.7 -0.5 -0.5 -0.4 -0.4 
			  
			 Stoke-on-Trent (unitary authority) Projected popn 236.6 235.3 234.1 233.0 232.0 231.0 230.0 
			  Net change — -1.3 -1.2 -1.1 -1.1 -1.0 -0.9 
			  
			 Kingston upon Hull (unitary authority) Projected popn 245.6 243.4 241.5 239.6 237.9 236.3 234.8 
			  Net change — -2.1 -2.0 -1.8 -1.7 -1.6 -1.5 
			  
			 North East (govt office region) Projected popn 2,535.4 2,531.9 2,529.0 2,526.7 2,524.5 2,522.4 2,520.6 
			  Net change — -3.4 -3.0 -2.3 -2.2 -2.1 -1.8 
			  
			 North West (govt office region) Projected popn 6,811 4 6,820.1 6,829.9 6,840.8 6,851.8 6,863.1 6,874.9 
			  Net change — 8.8 9.7 10.9 11.0 11.3 11.9 
		
	
	
		Thousand
		
			 Area  2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 
		
		
			 Merseyside (metropolitan county) Projected popn 1,349.7 1,348.8 1,348.0 1,347.4 1,346.9 1,346.6 1,346.4 
			  Net change -1.1 -1.0 -0.8 -0.7 -0.5 -0.3 -0.2 
			  
			 Newcastle upon Tyne (metropolitan district) Projected popn 261.7 261.3 260.9 260.4 259.9 259.4 259.0 
			  Net change -0.4 -0.4 -0.5 -0.5 -0.5 -0.5 -0.5 
			  
			 Stoke-on-Trent (unitary authority) Projected popn 229.1 228.3 227.5 226.7 226.0 225.3 224.7 
			  Net change -0.9 -0.9 -0.8 -0.8 -0.7 -0.7 -0.6 
			  
			 Kingston upon Hull (unitary authority) Projected popn 233.4 232.1 230.8 229.6 228.5 227.4 226.3 
			  Net change -1.4 -1.3 -1.3 -1.2 -1.2 -1.1 -1.0 
			  
			 North East (govt office region) Projected popn 2,518.9 2,517.4 2,515.9 2,514.5 2,513.3 2,512.1 2,511.0 
			  Net change -1.6 -1.6 -1.5 -1.4 -1.2 -1.2 -1.1 
			  
			 North West (govt office region) Projected popn 6,887.4 6,900.4 6,914.0 6,928.0 6,942.5 6,957.3 6,972.3 
			  Net change 12.5 13.0 13.6 14.0 14.4 14.8 15.1 
		
	
	
		Thousand
		
			 Area  2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 
		
		
			 Merseyside (metropolitan county) Projected popn 1,346.3 1,346.2 1,346.1 1,346.0 1,345.8 1,345.7 1,345.4 
			  Net change -0.1 -0.1 -0.1 -0.1 -0.2 -0.1 -0.2 
			  
			 Newcastle upon Tyne (metropolitan district) Projected popn 258.5 257.9 257.4 256.8 256.4 256.1 255.8 
			  Net change -0.5 -0.5 -0.6 -0.5 -0.4 -0.3 -0.3 
			  
			 Stoke-on-Trent (unitary authority) Projected popn 224.1 223.5 222.9 222.3 221.8 221.3 220.8 
			  Net change -0.6 -0.6 -0.6 -0.6 -0.5 -0.5 -0.5 
			  
			 Kingston upon Hull (unitary authority) Projected popn 225.3 224.4 223.4 222.5 221.7 220.9 220.2 
			  Net change -1.0 -1.0 -0.9 -0.9 -0.8 -0.8 -0.7 
			 North East (govt office region) Projected popn 2,509.8 2,508.4 2,506.9 2,505.4 2,503.7 2,502.0 2,500.0 
			  Net change -1.2 -1.3 -1.5 -1.6 -1.7 -1.7 -1.9 
			  
			 North West (govt office region) Projected popn 6,987.4 7,002.3 7,016.8 7,030.8 7,044.3 7,057.1 7,069.2 
			  Net change 15.0 14.9 14.5 14.0 13.6 12.8 12.1 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Pre-Budget Statement

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he spoke to journalists on 5 December 2005 before delivering his pre-Budget statement in the House.

John Healey: On 5 December 2005, before his pre-Budget report statement, the Chancellor visited a shared equity housing scheme in London with the Prime Minister, attended Cabinet and also attended a memorial service for Robin Cook, the former Foreign Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons. There was no briefing to journalists by the Chancellor.

Red Diesel

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will be seeking to renew the derogation of the Red Diesel Rules.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Stroud on 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2465W.

Tax Credits/Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many fraudulent tax credit claims have been identified since April 2003; what the combined value is of fraudulent claims identified; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Home Secretary is today making a statement on the measures the Government are taking to address identity fraud.
	But I want to inform the House of the detailed action HMRC is taking to identify and root out identity fraud and to work with banks to address a problem HMRC investigations have identified and about which they are in discussion with banks-that is, the use of stolen identities to set up bank accounts under false pretences.
	As a result of investigations by HMRC and DWP, DWP was alerted to the false use of the names of a number of DWP staff in setting up bank accounts under false pretences and then making fraudulent claims. On 2 December 2005 DWP and HMRC announced that a criminal investigation had been launched. At the same time, HMRC suspended the internet service with immediate effect.
	Over the past six weeks DWP investigators and HMRC compliance officers have undertaken detailed inquiries. While one initial estimate was that up to 13,000 staff might have been affected by the identity theft, it is now established that some 8,800 staff identities may have been stolen in 2003–04 and that of these 6,800 have been used in an attempt to defraud the tax credits system in autumn 2005. Of the 6,800 fraudulent claims, around 4,100 were fully intercepted by HMRC before any payment, so that no payment was made. Of the remaining 2,700 claims where tax credit payments were made into multiple bank accounts using the stolen identities payments were suspended immediately they were discovered, and all payments were suspended by 16 December 2005. Swift action addressed the risk of higher losses, limiting the loss from this fraud to an estimated £2.7 million.
	In a statement issued alongside National Statistics published on 23 December 2005, HMRC stated that a number of criminal investigations were under way. As a result of these investigations, which are ongoing, HMRC have uncovered evidence that banks have been the victims of multiple bank accounts opened under false pretences-using the names of individuals whose identities were stolen. With HMRC informing the banks of this fraud, the banks concerned will be addressing the issues we are raising with them.
	As previously announced on 23 December 2005 we are subjecting around 30,000 claims to detailed further investigation, although not all of these are likely to be fraudulent. This includes the use of staff information stolen from Network Rail and which then led to bank accounts created for Network Rail employees under false pretences. Our detailed investigations have so far resulted in at least 16,000 claims being stopped, with information being referred to the National Criminal. Intelligence Service, which will form part of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) on 1 April 2006. I will keep the House informed in a manner consistent with the ongoing criminal investigation.
	New measures already announced in the pre-Budget report will result in a doubling of the number of pre-payment checks carried out on new claims. In addition, I have offered the banking sector and other financial institutions the help and expertise of HMRC in detecting such identity fraud, and ensuring that sufficient checks are in place to prevent fraudsters from opening bank accounts using stolen identities. We will continue to work with them to help tackle the problem. HMRC will also, seek to contact companies or individuals where it finds evidence that they might have been targeted by such fraudsters and work with them to assist in the investigation.

Tax Credits/Fraud

William McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the value of tax credit overpayments (a) made and (b) written off by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to people in Northern Ireland in 2004–05.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of numbers and values of overpayments or underpayments for 2004–05 awards at 5 April 2005 will be published in spring 2006, after all the awards are finalised.
	HM Revenue and Customs wrote off around £85,000 for families in Northern Ireland following its disputed overpayments procedures during 2004–05.

Unemployment (London)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in each London borough had been unemployed for two years or more in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (42946)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for small areas from the Annual Population Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1 shows the numbers of people aged 16 and over who have been unemployed for two years or more, who were resident in the London Boroughs for the 12 month period ending in March 2005. These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (ISA). Table 2 shows the numbers of JSA claimants, resident in the London Boroughs who have been claiming for more than two years in November 2005.
	
		Table 1: Number of people aged 16 and over resident in each London borough who have been unemployed for two years or more; 12 months ending March 2005.
		
			 London borough Number 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 800 
			 Barnet 1,100 
			 Bexley (10)— 
			 Brent 1,700 
			 Bromley (10)— 
			 Camden (10)— 
			 City of London (10)— 
			 Croydon 1,100 
			 Ealing 1,000 
			 Enfield 1,300 
			 Greenwich 700 
			 Hackney 800 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 800 
			 Haringey 1,200 
			 Harrow (10)— 
			 Havering (10)— 
			 Hillingdon (10)— 
			 Hounslow (10)— 
			 Islington 800 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (10)— 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames (10)— 
			 Lambeth 3,100 
			 Lewisham 1,200 
			 Merton (10)— 
			 Newham 1,000 
			 Redbridge (10)— 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 700 
			 Southwark 2,200 
			 Sutton (10)— 
			 Tower Hamlets 900 
			 Waltham Forest 1,500 
			 Wandsworth 1,200 
			 Westminster, City of 1,100 
			   
			 London 27,200 
		
	
	(10) Estimate not available, sample size less than three could be disclosive.
	Source:
	Annual Population Survey.
	
		Table 2: Number of claimants of jobseeker's allowance, resident in each London borough, claiming for more than two years; November 2005.
		
			 London borough Number(11) 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 155 
			 Barnet 270 
			 Bexley 135 
			 Brent 710 
			 Bromley 225 
			 Camden 415 
			 City of London 5 
			 Croydon 210 
			 Ealing 175 
			 Enfield 315 
			 Greenwich 220 
			 Hackney 305 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 170 
			 Haringey 740 
			 Harrow 110 
			 Havering 85 
			 Hillingdon 135 
			 Hounslow 65 
			 Islington 345 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 165 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 60 
			 Lambeth 485 
			 Lewisham 300 
			 Merton 150 
			 Newham 370 
			 Redbridge 125 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 80 
			 Southwark 1,160 
			 Sutton 100 
			 Tower Hamlets 805 
			 Waltham Forest 405 
			 Wandsworth 260 
			 Westminster, City of 210 
			   
			 London 9,480 
		
	
	(11) Duration data rounded to nearest five.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Valuation Office Agency has had with the EU Permanent Committee on Cadastre; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Valuation Office Agency was invited to participate in the Plenary Meeting of the EU Permanent Committee on Cadastre held on 26 October 2005 at the Southampton offices of Ordnance Survey.
	The main objective of the EU Permanent Committee on Cadastre is to facilitate the exchange of information, expertise, and best practices among member states.
	In England and Wales, the bodies that contribute to the cadastre are Land Registry, Ordnance Survey and the Valuation Office Agency. That is why these three bodies were represented at the Plenary Meeting of the EU Permanent Committee on Cadastre.
	The Valuation Office Agency was invited to make a presentation to the Plenary Meeting of the EU Permanent Committee on Cadastre to explain how its valuation work contributed to the cadastre" in England and Wales.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has considered in relation to the Valuation Office Agency and council tax since May 1997; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the ruling in each case.

Dawn Primarolo: The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, is an independent office-holder. She operates under the provisions of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (as amended). The Parliamentary Ombudsman publishes information about the number of investigable complaints she has received in her annual report to Parliament. Her 2004–05 Annual Report, HC 348, was published on 20 July. Copies of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's annual reports are available in the Library of the House.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals the Valuation Office Agency has processed to date in relation to the council tax revaluation in Wales; and how many appeals are outstanding.

Dawn Primarolo: As at 31 December 2005 the Valuation Office had received 12,406 formal appeals of which 5,386 have been processed and 7,020 are still outstanding.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases the Adjudicator's Office has considered in relation to the Valuation Office Agency and council tax since May 1997; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the ruling on each case.

Dawn Primarolo: The Adjudicator has considered 69 cases in relation to the Valuation Office Agency and council tax since 1 April 1997.
	The rulings relate to an individual taxpayer's affairs and are, therefore, confidential.

Westmorland and Lonsdale

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) private sector jobs broken down by (i) agricultural, (ii) manufacturing and (iii) service sector and (b) public sector jobs there were in Westmorland and Lonsdale in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about private and public sector employment. (43148)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics for the United Kingdom of public sector employment from a quarterly survey of public sector organizations. However, estimates at local area level are not available.
	Information at local area level is available from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) of individual people in households. However, in this source, the categorization of employment in the public or private sector depends upon the responses from the individuals interviewed. As reported by ONS in October 2005 in the publication Public Sector Employment Trends", some individuals tend to misreport private sector employment as being in the public sector hence leading to overestimates of the share of public sector employment.
	With this reservation about the data quality, the attached table shows the number of persons in private sector employment, by the specified splits, and for the public sector, for people resident in the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency as shown by the annual local area LFS for the 12 month periods ending February 1998 to February 2004.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	
		Persons in employment resident in the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency by private-public sector split(12)
		
			 Thousand 
			  Private sector Public sector Total 
			 Twelve months ending February: Agriculture Manufacturing Services(13) Other industries(14)   
		
		
			 1998 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 39 
			 1999 1 5 24 3 7 41 
			 2000 1 4 24 4 7 41 
			 2001 2 2 22 4 7 37 
			 2002 2 6 20 3 7 38 
			 2003 2 4 25 6 6 44 
			 2004 1 6 28 4 6 45 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(12) Public/private sector split based on responses from individuals responding to the annual local area labour force survey—generally overestimate public sector employment.
	(13) Services are Standard Industrial Classification (1992) divisions G-O.
	(14) Other industries are divisions B, C, E and F.
	Source:
	Annual local area labour force survey.

Westmorland and Lonsdale

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in (a) the North West and (b) the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency earn (i) £3.60 per hour, (ii) £3.61 to £3.80 per hour, (iii) £3.81 to £4 per hour and (iv) £4 to £4.50 per hour; and what percentage of total employees this constitutes in each case.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask how many people in (a) the North West and (b) the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency earn (i) £3.60 per hour (ii) £3.61 to £3.80 per hour, (iii) £3.81 to £4.00 per hour and (iv) £4.00 to £4.50 per hour; and what percentage of total employees this constitutes in each case. (43149)
	We cannot provide data for Westmorland and Lonsdale as the sample count for this area was too small to carry out the required proportion analysis.
	Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	The ASHE, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	
		Hourly pay—gross (£) for all employee jobsa
		
			   Proportions earning between 
			 2005 Number of jobs (thousand) £3.60 and under £3.60-£3.80 £3.81-£4.00 £4.00-£4.50 
		
		
			 North West 2,578 **0.4 X **0.3 *1.2 
		
	
	a Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.
	Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.
	* Guide to quality:
	The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality.
	The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV eg for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent., we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220.
	Key:
	CV < = 5 per cent.
	* CV>5 per cent. and< = 10 per cent.
	** CV> 10 per cent. and< =20 per cent.
	X unreliable—CV > 20 per cent. or unavailable
	Background notes:
	(a) The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, (ASHE), carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees.
	(b) Average gross hourly earnings for All Employees whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.
	(c) The median replaces the mean as the headline statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 per cent. of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings data.

Westmorland and Lonsdale

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much council tax was paid as a proportion of gross income by households in each income quintile group in Westmorland and Lonsdale in the latest year for which data are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how much council tax was paid as a proportion of gross income for households in each income quintile group in Westmorland and Lonsdale in the latest year for which data is available. (43151)
	Unfortunately, the information requested is not available.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the operation of the Child Support Agency's computer systems.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Hilary Reynolds
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive, as Stephen Geraghty is on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the state of the Child Support Agency's computer systems.
	The new Child Support computer system (CS2) is now more stable technically and performance has improved to the point where service levels are generally being met. A number of defects do remain but EDS has agreed to resolve these as a part of an agreed forward programme of enhancement.
	Yours sincerely

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual (a) sickness and (b) absenteeism rate has been for staff at the Child Support Agency in each year since 1995–96; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 18 January 2006
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual (a) sickness and (b) absenteeism rate has been for staff at the Child Support Agency in each year since 1995–96 and if he will make a statement.
	I am unable to provide the annual sickness absence rate for the years 1995 to 1998 as the Agency does not have records for this period.
	The table below shows the available sickness absence rates.
	
		
			Year ending Annual sickness rate (average working days lost per member of staff, expressed in full-time equivalent terms) 
		
		
			 December 1999 12.5 
			 December 2000 11.9 
			 December 2001 12.3 
			 December 2002 12.9 
			 March 2003 13.7 
			 March 2004 15.6 
			 March 2005 15.9 
			 Current year to date (April to October 2005) 11.7 
		
	
	In response to your second question, 'absenteeism' is a term that is not used by the Department for Work and Pensions or the Child Support Agency. In line with Departmental Human Resources policy the Agency treats all sickness absence as genuine since it is self-certificated for periods of up to 7 days and certificated by a doctor beyond that period.
	The reduction in days lost to sickness this year has been achieved by a combination of measures. Line managers have been given training in new procedures, introduced across the Department, which aim to promote an understanding that our employees are valued, that the Department wants them to be at work and if they are absent to understand why and to assist if it can. Increased support has been provided through the services of the Occupational Health Provider and Employee Assistance Programme. In return the department expects its employees to attend regularly and a warning is given when attendance falls below the level which can be sustained by the business.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many penalties the Child Support Agency has issued for (a) failure to provide information and (b) providing false information in each of the last eight years.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Hilary Reynolds
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive, as he is currently on leave I am responding on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many penalties the Child Support Agency has issued for (a) failure to provide information and (b) providing false information in each of the last eight years.
	Since the launch of the Agency in April 1993 it has been a criminal offence (section 15(9) of the Child Support Act 1991) to intentionally delay or obstruct an Inspector exercising his powers or to refuse or neglect to answer any question or furnish information or documents when required to do so. I can confirm there have been no prosecutions under this section of the Child Support Act.
	Three new criminal sanctions were introduced from 31 January 2001 (under section 13 of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000).
	Failing to comply with a request for information without reasonable excuse (section 14A(3) of the Child Support Act 1991);
	Pursuant to a request for information, making a statement or representation knowing it to be false (section 14A(2)(a)); and
	Providing or knowingly causing or knowingly allowing to be provided a document or other information which is known to be false in a material particular (section 14A(2)(b)).
	Figures for the section 14 information offences are provided from 2001 onwards as this piece of legislation was not introduced until 31 January 2001.
	The table below provides the figures requested;
	
		
			  Section 14A(2) offences (making false statements) Section 14A(3) offences (failing to provide information) Total section 14A offences 
			  Prosecuted Convicted Prosecuted Convicted Prosecuted Convicted 
		
		
			 January to December 2001 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 January to December 2002 10 10 6 6 16 16 
			 January to December 2003 6 6 227 225 233 231 
			 January to December 2004 1 1 195 194 196 195 
			 January to October 2005 4 4 309 302 313 306 
			 Total to 31 October 20 21 21 737 727 758 748 
		
	
	You will note that the Agency has achieved an approximate 50 per cent. increase in prosecutions and convictions under the section 14A offences over the first ten months of the 2005 calendar year.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Child Support Agency

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many parents who wish to migrate to the new calculation system for child support have been advised by the Child Support Agency to contact their Member of Parliament so that their concerns can be passed to Ministers; how many hon. Members have raised concerns on behalf of their constituents with Ministers about the new and old calculation systems running concurrently; and what assessment he has made of the effect of representations made by hon. Members on behalf of their constituents on Government policy on migrating existing child support cases to the new system.

James Plaskitt: It is not Agency policy to advise clients whether they should contact their Member of Parliament with their concerns. Since March 2003, 777 letters have been received from hon. and right hon. Members about migration, conversion and/or transitional arrangements.
	The Child Support Agency's chief executive, Stephen Geraghty, is currently undertaking a root and branch review of the Agency. He will report to Ministers and we will make announcements shortly.

Child Support Agency

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the compliance rate was for Child Support Agency claims made by claimants resident in Scotland for each quarter since 2000–01.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 18 January 2006
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the compliance rate was for Child Support Agency claims made by claimants resident in Scotland for each quarter since 2000–01.
	I am sorry I cannot provide precisely the information requested for Scotland. The available information is attached in an annex to this letter.
	I hope you find this useful.
	
		Case and cash compliance rates for Child Support Agency collection service cases in Scotland in each quarter from February 2000 to February 2003
		
			 Percentage 
			  Case compliance rate Cash compliance rate 
		
		
			 February 2000 70 72 
			 May 2000 71 73 
			 August 2000 71 72 
			 November 2000 72 72 
			 February 2001 72 72 
			 May 2001 72 72 
			 August 2001 73 71 
			 November 2001 73 70 
			 February 2002 73 71 
			 May 2002 75 73 
			 August 2002 76 72 
			 November 2002 76 76 
			 February 2003 76 73 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Due to limitations with currently available management information, we are not able to disaggregate the information to the required geographical level following the introduction of the new child support IT system.
	2. The table only includes old scheme cases with a full maintenance assessment. Those with a punitive interim maintenance assessment are excluded from this analysis, in line with the Agency's target definition.
	3. Case compliance is defined as all those cases which are open and have paid money via the collection service in Scotland over the preceding quarter, expressed as a percentage of all those (currently open) cases which are charged maintenance via the CSA collection service in Scotland (either regular maintenance and/or arrears) over the same quarter.
	4. Cash compliance is defined as the total sum of maintenance received via the CSA collection service in the preceding quarter expressed as a percentage of the total amount of maintenance due over the same period.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what definition of net income is used by the Child Support Agency for assessing maintenance liabilities; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment is made of income from capital in Child Support Agency maintenance calculations; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The rules in the old child support scheme for determining the net income of absent parents and parents with care are contained in Regulations 7 and 8 and Schedules 1 and 2 of the Child Support (Maintenance Assessment and Special Cases) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/1815).
	In the new scheme, when a maintenance calculation is first calculated, the net weekly income of a non-resident parent consists only of the types of income specified in the Schedule to the Child Support (Maintenance Calculations and Special Cases) Regulations 2000 (SI 2001/155). These are an employee's or self-employed person's earnings, tax credits and payments from occupational or personal pension schemes.
	However, income from capital can be taken into account as a result of Regulations 18 and 19 of the Child Support (Variations) Regulations 2000 (SI 2001/156). Under Regulation 18, where a non-resident parent has significant assets, a parent with care can apply to have them taken into account. This applies where the assets are worth more than £65,000.
	In addition, from April 2005, Regulation 19 has been amended, so that in certain circumstances a variation can be made where a non-resident parent receives income from a business or company in a form which is normally ignored in the maintenance calculation. This applies where the non-resident parent receives such income of more than £100 a week and has the ability to control their income, for example, as a company director receiving income in the form of dividends. So payments from such capital resources can be taken into account.

Child Support Agency

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedures are in place for cases mishandled by the Child Support Agency to be independently reviewed and compensated.

James Plaskitt: The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) provides a free and impartial complaints review and resolution service to customers of the Child Support Agency. The service provided is independent from the Child Support Agency and aims to make a positive difference to the service clients receive.
	The ICE service is available to customers who have exhausted the Agency's own complaints procedure but remain dissatisfied with the response and/or redress provided. This excludes complaints:
	which have not been referred within six months of the Agency's final response;
	which have not received the Agency's final response;
	concerning matters of law or Government policy; or
	which have been or are being investigated by the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
	The ICE may recommend to the Agency whether a compensation payment to the client should be considered.
	Further information on the ICE can be found at:
	http://www.ind-case-exam.org.uk/

Child Support Agency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many software and management information system IT updates agreed with Electronic Data Systems (EDS) have been made to the CS2 computer system since March 2003; what future planned IT software releases have been agreed between the Child Support Agency and EDS; and on what date each is expected to be released.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 18 January 2006
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many software and management information system IT updates agreed with Electronic Data Systems (EDS) have been made to the CS2 computer system since March 2003; and if he will give the dates and details of any future planned IT software releases agreed between the Child Support Agency and EDS.
	Since March 2003 there have been 13 system releases on the new CS2 Computer System, 10 system releases on the Management Information System and 11 Telephony related IT releases.
	Under a general realignment of DWP contracts, which came into effect from 15 August 2005, EDS are contracted to undertake a number of releases agreed with the Child Support Agency between now and the end of 2007, designed to remove the large majority of existing defects.

Crisis Loans

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many crisis loans were made in each of the last 24 months.

James Plaskitt: The information is the table.
	
		Initial crisis loan awards in Great Britain
		
			 Month Number 
		
		
			 January 2004 94,100 
			 February 2004 86,900 
			 March 2004 96,000 
			 April 2004 81,700 
			 May 2004 79,600 
			 June 2004 87,300 
			 July 2004 80,900 
			 August 2004 83,800 
			 September 2004 84,900 
			 October 2004 79,800 
			 November 2004 81,100 
			 December 2004 75,500 
			 January 2005 91,900 
			 February 2005 85,700 
			 March 2005 88,200 
			 April 2005 85,100 
			 May 2005 80,500 
			 June 2005 86,300 
			 July 2005 81,700 
			 August 2005 84,400 
			 September 2005 87,200 
			 October 2005 81,800 
			 November 2005 87,200 
			 December 2005 76,300 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Initial awards do not include awards made after review.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Data Protection

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many of his Department's staff have had their personal details stolen for fraudulent tax credit applications;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the recent theft of data relating to staff in his Department for use in fraudulent tax credit applications.

Margaret Hodge: holding answers 9 January 2006
	The joint DWP and HMRC investigation conducted into the identity theft of DWP staff details and the subsequent use of some of these details to fraudulently claim tax credit has completed its analysis of the numbers of staff affected. The initial estimate of those potentially affected was around 13,000. However, the investigation has now established that the number of stolen identities was around 8,800. All the 8,800 people concerned worked in Jobcentre Plus London region (including the linked benefit processing and contact centres) in 2003–04.
	All the records have been analysed and the joint DWP and HMRC investigation has now confirmed that:
	around 6,800 fraudulent tax credit claims were made using the stolen data, of which:
	around 4,100 were intercepted by HMRC before any payment had been made.
	around 2,700 were successful and went into payment but are now stopped
	There is no evidence to suggest the security of DWP's IT systems has been breached. None of our customers appear to have been affected by this in any way.
	Our internal records are completely separate from systems used to manage customer information.
	The HMRC E-portal used to make fraudulent tax credit claims remains closed. A criminal investigation into the circumstances which led to this fraud was instituted as soon as the fraud was discovered and is still in progress.
	DWP and HMRC are working urgently to ensure the records concerned are corrected. They will ensure that staff are not disadvantaged as a result of this incident and arrangements are in place to contact individually all those affected.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Technical Adaptation Committee on the minimum safety and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels, (b) Technical Adaptation Committee on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work and (c) Committee on the European Communities statistics programme have taken place during the UK Presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: I understand from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that the Technical Adaptation Committee on the minimum safety and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels has not met during the UK Presidency. Similarly, there were no meetings of Technical Adaptation Committee on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical physical and biological agents at work.
	I understand from the Office for National Statistics that the Statistical Programme Committee (SPC) met on 29–30 November 2005. The meeting was presided over by the Commission (Eurostat) and the UK was represented by ONS officials who consulted devolved Administrations as appropriate.

Free Movement of Persons Directive

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the potential costs of social security provision for non-UK nationals resident in the UK as a result of Directive 2004/58/EC on free movement of persons.

James Plaskitt: Directive 2004/38/EC 1 brings together into one Directive nine existing Directives on rights of residence and free movement, and part of Regulation 1612/68 on free movement of workers, as well as the relevant case law of the European Court of Justice. It is intended to reduce complexity and bureaucracy.
	The Directive maintains the requirement that EU citizens need to exercise an economic activity or have sufficient resources in order to take up residence in another member state.
	Member states must transpose the Directive into their national law before 30 April 2006.
	The Government are bringing forward Regulations to ensure that the new Directive will not result in any significant additional costs for the UK social security system.
	1 The correct reference is to Directive 2004/38/EC

Sick Leave

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department's employees who are within one year of the official retirement age are on extended sick leave.

Anne McGuire: There are currently 175 staff who are on long-term sick absence (28 days or more) and who are within one year of the official retirement age.

Winter Fuel Payment

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether receipt of pension guarantee credit affects the level of winter fuel payment.

Stephen Timms: Most people in receipt of pension credit receive the full winter fuel payment. However, people in receipt of pension credit who live in a care home and have done so for 13 weeks or more at the end of the September qualifying week do not receive a winter fuel payment. This is because the majority receive public funding for their care costs including heating.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Audible Fire Alarms

Bob Spink: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what proportion of the House is fitted with audible fire alarms.

Nick Harvey: With the exception of both chambers and the immediate surrounding areas, all parts of the parliamentary estate are fitted with audible fire alarms. In the Palace of Westminster, Portcullis House, 1 Parliament Street, 1 Derby Gate, Norman Shaw South and 7 Millbank this is supplemented by a voice alarm system. The remaining buildings on the estate will be upgraded to voice alarm standard as each building is refurbished.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Legal Aid

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  if she will list the 10 barristers who received the highest legal aid fees for clinical negligence work in the last 12 months, indicating in each case (a) the amount received, (b) the number of cases taken, (c) the number of cases taken which proceeded beyond investigation, (d) the number of cases taken which resulted in (i) an award of damages and (ii) a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages and (e) whether each barrister was Queen's counsel or junior counsel;
	(2)  if she will list the 10 firms of solicitors which received the highest legal aid fees for clinical negligence work in the last 12 months, indicating in each case (a) the amount received, (b) the number of cases taken, (c) the number of cases taken which proceeded beyond investigation and (d) the number cases taken which resulted in (i) an award of damages and (ii) a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

A1 Dualling Schemes

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to begin on the A1 dualling schemes proposed by the Highways Agency (a) between Morpeth and Felton and (b) South of Belford; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government announced in December 2004 that it would seek the Regions' advice on their priorities for housing, regeneration and transport expenditure. Indicative allocations for the next 10 years were given to each region. In the North East a Regional Transport Board was set up to determine the Region's Transport priorities. These two A1 dualling schemes are being considered as part of that process.
	We are expecting to receive the North East Region's advice on their priorities across the three funding streams at the end of January. Once these have been fully assessed there will be a further announcement of the Department's initial response to the
	Proposals.

Administration Costs

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) England and (b) London; and what administrative costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year.

Karen Buck: Following the Treasury/ONS Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) methodology for country and regional analysis of spending by functions of Government Departments, administration costs are attributed to areas in the same proportions as the spending that they support. The allocation of benefits of the Department's identifiable expenditure is estimated for 2004–05 as (a) England 91 per cent., and within that (b) London 28 per cent., as reflected in table A7 of the Department's Annual Report 2005 (Cm 6527).

Administration Costs

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Wales; and what administrative costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year.

Karen Buck: Following the Treasury/ONS Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) methodology for country and regional analysis of spending by functions of Government Departments, administration costs are attributed to areas in the same proportions as the spending that they support. The allocation of benefits of the Department's identifiable expenditure is estimated for 2004–05 as (a) Northern Ireland 0.2 per cent., and (b) Wales 1.8 per cent., as reflected in table A7 of the Department's Annual Report 2005 (Cm 6527).

Administration Costs

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the administrative costs were of each non-departmental public body for which he has responsibility in the last year for which figures are available; what the total of such costs was in that year; and whether the costs are regarded for the purposes of public expenditure statistical analyses as (a) identifiable and (b) non-identifiable.

Karen Buck: For 2004–05 the Department's executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) comprised the Strategic Rail Authority and the British Transport Police. Detailed financial information is available in their Annual Report and Accounts, but the Treasury's administration budgets regime does not apply to these bodies. All of their expenditure is included, but not shown separately, in the tables of identifiable expenditure in chapter 8 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) published by the Treasury.

Airport Security

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what alternative options for the current system of designation will be considered during the independent review of policing at airports; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: The independent review will consider the appropriateness of the current system of designation and in the light of that consideration, possible alternative options.

Bicycle Use

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent survey his Department has made of bicycle use.

Derek Twigg: The National Travel Survey is used to monitor bicycle use in Great Britain. In 2004, the average number of bicycle trips made was 15 per person per year.

Buses

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his plans to regulate bus services outside the London area.

Karen Buck: We have no such plans. However, if local authorities are prepared to propose a comprehensive system for managing traffic, which may well include road pricing, we are prepared in turn to consider allowing greater control of bus services. This follows the policy set out in the 2004 White Paper The Future of Transport: A Network for2030"(Cm6234).

Departmental Estate

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the expenditure on (a) buildings and (b) insurance of buildings and staff was of (i) his Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) executive agency and (C) other public body for which his Department is responsible in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales and (3) each of the English regions in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06 in each case.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport and Executive Agencies comprise over 1,150 buildings, excluding those of our sponsored bodies. Information is not available in the requested format and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06.

Karen Buck: For 2005–06,employers' contributions are payable to the principal civil service pension scheme (PCSPS) at one of four rates in the ranges 16.2 to 24.6 percent. of pensionable pay, based on salary bands. The scheme actuary reviews employer contributions every four years following a full scheme valuation; last carried out as at 31 March 2003. The contribution rates reflect the cost of benefits as they accrue (net of employee contributions), not the costs as they are actually incurred, and reflect past experience of the scheme. This applies to all of the employer contributions detailed in the following table except for Trinity House Lighthouse Service and Northern Lighthouse Board who operate pensions schemes other than the PCSPS.
	(a) The pension contributions for the Department are as follows:
	
		£000
		
			 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 (15)2005–06 
		
		
			 7,043 8,514 9,524 13,180 
		
	
	(15) Estimate
	(b) (ii) The pension contributions for the Executive Agencies are as follows:
	
		£000
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 (16)2005–06 
		
		
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 3,254 3,860 3,958 5,563 
			 Highways Agency 6,668 7,306 8,229 13,107 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 10,408 11,621 13,487 12,707 
			 Driving Standards Agency 4,181 5,141 6,167 9,496 
			 Vehicle Operator Services Agency 5,782 7,014 8,029 11,829 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 368 391 413 582 
			 Government Car and Delivery Service 900 910 912 1,406 
		
	
	(16) Estimate
	(b) (iii) The pension contributions for other sponsored bodies are as follows:
	
		£000
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 (17)2005–06 
		
		
			 Trinity House Lighthouse Service 5,100 8,519 6,616 5,702 
			 Northern Lighthouse Board 16 20 20 107 
			 Strategic Rail Authority 5,125 5,966 5,148 2,688 
			 Rail Passenger Council n/a n/a n/a 177 
		
	
	n/a = not available
	(17) Estimate
	Apart from those costs relating to the Northern Lighthouse Board which all relate to Scotland, the costs are not held in a way that they can be attributed to Scotland, Wales, the English regions or Northern Ireland.

DVLA

Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what criteria the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency selects those customers who qualify to be sold the names and addresses of vehicle owners.

Stephen Ladyman: Regulations allow for information to be released from the Agency's vehicle register to the police, to local authorities for investigation of an offence or for decriminalised parking, and to anyone who can demonstrate 'reasonable cause' for having the particulars made available to him.
	'Reasonable cause' is not defined in the legislation, but in the recent past circumstances that have been judged to meet reasonable cause include safety recalls by the motor industry, minor hit and run incidents not warranting a full police investigation, housing associations dealing with abandoned vehicles and private car parking companies enforcing landlords rights over private land.
	DVLA do not sell the data. A charge is made to cover the cost of the service.
	I have announced a review of the regulations governing the release of information which will take place shortly.

DVLA

Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency began the practice of selling the names and addresses of vehicle owners.

Stephen Ladyman: Regulations governing the release of information from the vehicle register predate DVLA's existence, as similar powers were available to local authorities when they had responsibility for registering and licensing vehicles. Today, release is made under the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations of 2002. These regulations consolidate the 1971 regulations of the same name, and the 1994 amendments. DVLA does not sell the data for profit, but a charge is made to cover the administrative cost of the service.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the governance arrangements for the European Aviation Safety Agency are;
	(2)  what arrangements are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the governance of the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Karen Buck: The structure of governance of the European Aviation Safety Agency is set out in Regulation (EC) No. 1592/2002 as subsequently amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1643/2003. In general, the structure reflects the governance of Community Agencies as a whole, in that various financial and administrative matters are subject to approval and review by the Community institutions.
	The Regulation establishes a Management Board composed of one representative of each member state and one representative from the European Commission. The Board is assigned various governance tasks, such as appointing the Agency's Directors and adopting its work programme.
	The Community institutions monitor the governance of the Agency through consideration or audit of its annual general report, work programme, budget and accounts. In addition, the Regulation requires that by September 2006 the Board shall commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the Regulation which established the Agency, including an evaluation of how effectively the Agency fulfils its mission. The UK representative on the Management Board will insist that the terms of this evaluation allow examination of all governance matters.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the administrative impact of the introduction of the European Aviation Safety Agency's Fees and Charges Regulation on (a) the work of the European Aviation Safety Agency and (b) UK industry;
	(2)  how many representations he has received from UK industry about the impact of the European Aviation Safety Agency's Fees and Charges Regulation; and how many of these claimed an adverse impact;
	(3)  whether he has been informed of delays to aviationprojects resulting from the introduction of the European Aviation Safety Agency's Fees and Charges Regulation.

Karen Buck: The Fees and Charges Regulation, which came into force on 1 June 2005, requires that applications for a number of approvals and certificates can only be made to the European Civil Aviation Agency and that only the Agency can charge for the technical investigations needed to support the grant of such applications, even when a national authority carries out the work on its behalf. In such cases, the work is set up and paid for under the terms of agency/authority contracts. The manner of implementation of these processes has affected the Agency's ability to undertake their certification tasks in a timely and efficient way. There has also been some knock-on effect on other Agency activities as staff have been allocated to help deal with the demands of the fees and charges system.
	The Secretary of State has not received any specific representations from UK industry on the impact of the Agency's Fees and Charges Regulation. But UK industry ahs alerted the Department for Transport to the adverse impact of this Regulation at regular consultation meetings. The Department has asked the Civil Aviation Authority to monitor and report on problems that industry has drawn to its attention.
	UK companies have also reported difficulties in getting applications handled in a timely fashion and this has impacted adversely on their work including delays to several aviation projects. The Department, in conjunction with the Civil Aviation Authority, is working energetically on these problems with the Agency, the European Commission and other member states so as to ensure that the situation improves.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of whether income generated by the European Aviation Safety Agency's Fees and Charges Regulation will cover the cost of the European Aviation Safety Agency certification functions during 2006;
	(2)  what measures are in place to keep the budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency under review.

Karen Buck: The financial and budgetary requirements governing the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) follow general Community principles as applied to Community Agencies. EASA's requirements are set down in Regulation (EC) No. 1592/2002 as subsequently amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1643/2003.
	The Regulation provides that Agency revenues will comprise a contribution from Community funds, fees paid by certificate applicants and holders and charges for publications, training and any other services provided by the Agency. In principle the fees revenue should cover the full costs of delivering EASA's certification functions. However, the Regulation provided that until 31 December 2006 the contribution from Community funds might be used to cover expenditure related to the initial running phase of the Agency, including some of the cost of the Agency's certification functions.
	The Agency presented to its management board on 13 December 2006 its assessment of whether income generated by the Fees and Charges Regulation, together with the transitional use of some of the agreed contribution from Community funds, would cover the cost of delivering the Agency's certification functions during 2006. The Agency concluded that its estimated income would fail to cover costs unless remedial measures were put in place. The Agency proposed cutting back and prioritising its certification tasks in line with the estimated income. The UK Civil Aviation Authority prepared for the UK member of the management board a detailed analysis of the Agency's assessment and proposals which agreed that the estimated income would not cover all the certification tasks which the Agency should carry out in 2006. The Authority advised that cutting back the certification tasks would cause major problems for industry and be unacceptable.
	The management board agreed that the Agency should not prioritise its certification tasks despite the anticipated shortfall in income. The consequences of this decision on the Agency's budget will be revisited at the next meeting of the board in March in the light of urgent work commissioned by the Board. Consultants have been contracted to analyse the financial situation of the Agency and to report in time for the March meeting. In the meantime the Agency is continuing its own review of options to improve the situation, including possible amendments to the Fees and Charges Regulation.
	The management board's review of the 2006 budget reflects requirements placed on the Board in the Regulation (EC) 1592/2002 as amended. The budget is adopted by the Board following final adoption of the general budget of the European Union. This is a process which involves additional examination and review of the budget by the Community institutions.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the European Aviation Safety Agency (a) identifies and (b) distributes airworthiness directives to the aviation industry.

Karen Buck: The European Aviation Safety Agency (the Agency) publishes on its website a list of the titles and reference numbers of the airworthiness directives that it has approved since it came into being on 29 September 2003. To identify airworthiness directives for European products issued prior to that date industry must continue to refer to information published by the National Aviation Authorities of the EU member states, as the Agency has not yet gathered and collated that information.
	The Agency does not yet have an airworthiness directive distribution service to make available the detailed content of its airworthiness directives. The full texts of a small minority of its airworthiness directives can be accessed through the Agency's website but, in general, the industry must rely upon the airworthiness directive publication services of the National Aviation Authorities of the EU member states to obtain such directives. The UK CAA is continuing to maintain and update its own publication services and will continue to do so until such time as the Agency has put in place a comprehensive and effective system.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the (a) resources and (b) data available to the European Aviation Safety Agency to carry out the full range of its responsibilities;
	(2)  what measures will be used to ensure that the European Aviation Safety Authority is qualified to carry out the certification of aircraft and aircraft components.

Karen Buck: The Regulation establishing the European Aviation Safety Agency came into force in September 2002 and the Agency assumed responsibility for its tasks 12 months thereafter. At that time the Agency relied almost entirely on the Commission and the aviation authorities of member states for the resources and data it needed to execute those responsibilities. Initially, the national aviation authorities carried out all the Agency's certification tasks on its behalf.
	The Agency has been steadily recruiting the staff and building up the infrastructure it needs to perform its tasks in-house, however it is still reliant on national aviation authority support, delivered under contract. The Agency is recruiting staff mainly from the Commission, industry and national authorities; this pool of European technical experts must also serve the continuing needs of the national authorities and the aviation community more widely. It is a major challenge for everyone concerned to ensure that neither the Agency nor the national authorities run short of skilled manpower during this period of transition.
	The Agency's manpower plans and their effect on national authorities is being monitored by the Management Board. The Board has established a small group of high-level technical experts from national administrations, plus representatives of the Agency and the Commission, to examine rigorously whether the Agency's strategies are successfully ensuring the necessary qualified staff and to monitor the associated risks. As a result the Agency has established a risk register which it is required to present at each meeting of the management Board.
	The working group has stressed the importance of the Agency and the national aviation authorities working together to plan and manage technical resources, recommending that the Agency hold detailed discussions with each authority. Such discussions should be comprehensive and broader than the formal contractual arrangements under which the authorities currently carry out certification tasks for the Agency.

Fuel Duty Rebate

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list community transport services which were covered by the extension of the fuel duty rebate in the last five years.

Karen Buck: Eligibility to receive Bus Service Operators Grant (formerly called fuel duty rebate) was extended to a wide range of community transport services in May 2002. A total of about 800 community transport organisations now currently receive this grant; total expenditure was £4.5 million in 2004–05.

Glasgow Airport (Security)

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the last review took place of security arrangements at Glasgow airport.

Karen Buck: The Department carries out an extensive programme of aviation security compliance monitoring activity. This includes announced and unannounced inspections. We also provide appropriate advice and guidance to industry. The security arrangements at Glasgow airport are covered by this ongoing programme.
	We do not, for obvious reasons, provide information about the frequency of visits to individual locations or details of our compliance monitoring regime.

Government Papers

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of Cm 6527 were produced; how many copies were supplied free; to whom they were so supplied; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: The Department's annual report, Cm 6527, was published on 15 June 2005 and is freely available on the DfT website under corporate publications.
	1000 copies of the report were printed. To date approximately 300 copies have been provided free of charge to the House Libraries, the Transport Select Committee, Department for Transport Ministers and officials, and to other Government Departments.
	The stationery office (TSO) has taken 700 copies for sale.

Humber Bridge

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) cars and (b) public service vehicles used the Humber bridge in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what the total tax revenue was from each category of vehicle.

Stephen Ladyman: We do not hold figures specifically for cars and public service vehicles. Both types of vehicle fall within toll classifications grouped with other vehicles:
	
		
			   Number of vehicles 
			 Class Vehicle type 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 2 Motor Car Motor Caravan Goods Vehicle having a maximum weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes 5,310.783 5,391,743 5,476,259 
			 3 Goods Vehicle having a maximum weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes Vehicle in class 2 above with trailer Small bus (up to 16 passengers excluding driver) 164,520 164,571 167,960 
			 4 Goods Vehicle exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum weight with 2 axles Large bus 128,568 121,891 117,430 
		
	
	Based on current bus timetables, the bridge operator, the Humber Bridge Board, estimates that scheduled bus services made approximately 16,000 journeys across the bridge in each of the three years in question.
	The taxation of vehicles is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The total amount of revenue from different forms of motoring taxation is set out in the Chancellor's Budget report every year. Copies of these reports are available via HM Treasury's website.

Humber Bridge

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the interest rate charged on the Humber bridge debt is; what the remaining debt is; and when it will be paid off.

Stephen Ladyman: Under the agreement between the Humber Bridge Board and the Secretary of State signed in July 1998 the interest rate is 7.75 per cent. with the debt to be paid off by 2038. Current total debt stands at £334,436,987.

Humber Bridge

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions the Humber Bridge Board has had with the Treasury about its proposed increase in charges; and what freedom the Board has to vary the charges between categories of vehicle.

Stephen Ladyman: As far as I am aware there have been no discussions between the Humber Bridge Board and the Treasury with regard to the current proposal to revise toll charges.
	The Board must apply to the Secretary of State for approval if it wishes to revise the maximum tolls chargeable of all or any category of vehicle or any classification of vehicle. Below the maximum toll levels, the Board is free to decide the tolls to be charged for each category of vehicle.

Light Rail Schemes

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) technical and (b) financial criteria he intends to use in the evaluation of future proposals for light rail schemes.

Derek Twigg: On 1 April 2005, the Department published, for consultation, draft guidance to local authorities seeking DFT funding for local transport major schemes. This set out the framework which the Department will use to assess all major scheme bids, including light rail schemes.
	The draft guidance is available on the Department for Transport's website.

Local Transport Plan (Gloucestershire)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to decide on the acceptability of the Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport does assess the quality of local transport plans but does not decide on the acceptability of local transport plans. In December 2005 it published its assessments of the provisional second local transport plans, completed by local authorities in July 2005. The final second local transport plans are being completed by local authorities by March 2006. The Department intends to complete its assessments of these plans before the end of this year.

Luton Airport

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department plans to designate London Luton airport under section 25 of the Aviation Security Act 1982; what representations he has received on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: Designation of airports for policing purposes is currently undergoing independent review. The Chief Constable of Bedfordshire has been asked to consider deferring any application for designation of Luton airport until after the review has reported.

Motorway Service Areas

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to examine the potential of motorway service areas for use as interchange points for inter-city coach travel.

Stephen Ladyman: There are no current plans to examine the potential of motorway service areas for use as interchange points for inter-city coach travel. Motorway service areas are intended to offer road users opportunities to stop and take a break in the course of their journey but should not become destinations in their own right. It is considered that their use as inter-city coach interchanges could breach this long-standing principle and also affect their ability to fulfil their primary function.

Office Equipment

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual expenditure on (a) fixtures and fittings, (b) general office expenses and (c) office equipment was of (i) his Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) executive agency and (C) other public body for which his Department is responsible in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales and (3) each of the English regions in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06 in each case.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport and Executive Agencies comprise over 1,150 buildings, excluding those of our sponsored bodies. Information is not available in the requested format and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Parking Meters

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department has issued to local authorities concerning parking in individual metered bays when the parking meter is temporarily inoperable.

Karen Buck: The Department's Guidance on Decriminalised Parking Enforcement Outside London"—a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House—says that the duties of a parking attendant include inspecting parking meters and pay-and-display machines to ensure that they are working prior to penalty charge notice issue. It adds that where there is a minor fault, the attendant may be able to rectify it, otherwise an out of order" notice must be put on the meter or machine and the fault must be reported. Similar guidance has been issued to the capital's local authorities by the Association of London Government.

Railways

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that railway ticket prices represent value for money for passengers.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport is investing around £87 million per week to improve the service that passengers receive when travelling by train. Improvements include improved reliability, new trains and faster journeys on many routes.
	In addition, the Department regulates the price of certain fares, including commuter fares around London and other urban areas. In real terms these fares are now 3 percent. lower than in 1995, and the average annual increase in regulated fares is now limited to inflation+1 percent. On other routes, train operators compete with cars, coach companies and airlines and train operators will set fares on a commercial basis to attract passengers onto their services.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the change in rail freight's share of domestic freight traffic was in each year since 2000–01.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is set out as follows.
	
		
			  Billion tonne kilometres Percentage of all freight traffic 
		
		
			 2000 18.1 7 
			 2001 19.4 8 
			 2002 18.7 7 
			 2003 18.9 8 
			 2004 20.7 8

Railways

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he expects the peak in public investment in rail to be in 2005–06 as set out in Transport 2010—the Ten Year Plan.

Derek Twigg: The Government's spending plans for rail were originally set out in Transport Ten Year Plan document published in July 2000. These spending plans were updated in the Department for Transport Progress Report published December 2002.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement to the House of 10 February 2005, Official Report, columns 93–96WS, set out how the Department for Transport intends to allocate money on railways until April 2009.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many operational passenger rail carriages there were on the rail network in each of the past 10 years.

Derek Twigg: The information is not held in the form requested. The number of vehicles on lease at the sale of the Rolling Stock Leasing Companies recorded in the invitation to tender in March 1995, was 10,401 vehicles. The number of vehicles on lease now is approximately 11,000 vehicles.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions railway officials have been required to refuse passengers access to a train because of overcrowding in each of the past three years.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport does not hold this information.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which railway stations have had security measures fitted in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: The Government places a requirement on rail operators to implement a range of security measures across the UK rail network. Following the attacks on 7 July the security response level across the UK rail network increased to its highest level resulting in a tightening of the existing security requirements. For security reasons it would be inappropriate to go into detail. We continue to look at what further practical security measures can be taken to protect transport targets.

Railways

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2005, Official Report, column 895W, on railways, how much was paid to each train operating company for each management only contract; and with which company each contract was made;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2005, Official Report, column 895W, on railways, how many franchises he expects his Department to operate under management-only contracts in each year between 2005 and 2008.

Derek Twigg: Management only contracts are those where the DfT Rail Group takes the full risk for the operation and pays the train operating company a management fee.
	The following table shows the companies and franchise values for each year requested.
	
		£ million
		
			  First North Western Anglia Railways 
		
		
			 2001 146.7 n/a 
			 2002 173.3 (18)-2.3 
			 2003 179.6 (18)-6.4 
			 2004 185.5 (18)-1.5 
			 2005 103.4 0.8 
			 2006 n/a n/a 
			 2007 n/a n/a 
			 2008 n/a n/a 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(18) Net payment back to the SRA after management fee payment to Anglia positive.
	Notes:
	1. Positive numbers indicate a payment to the company.
	2. Negative numbers indicate a receipt from the company.
	Source:
	All figures are sourced from the SRA 2005 annual report.
	For the years 2006–08, no management only contracts are expected to be let.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the change in passenger numbers on the railways in each year between 2006 and 2014.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport's latest published central projections for rail usage can be found in the paper the The Future of Transport: Modelling and Analysis" published on 21 March 2005, which is available on the Department's website. This shows rail passenger kilometres increasing by 33 percent. between 2000 and 2010, implying growth of around 3.5 percent. a year for the rest of the decade. From 2010 to 2025 the projection shows growth of 1.3 percent. a year.

Rapid Transport Lines

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list rapid transport lines built in the last five years.

Derek Twigg: There are six new rapid transport lines which have been built in the last five years. These are:
	East Leeds—York Road—guided bus (2001)
	Bradford—Manchester Road—guided bus (2002)
	Metro Sunderland extension (2002)
	Crawley 'Fastway' guided bus (2003)
	Nottingham Express Transit Line 1 (2004)
	Docklands Light Railway extension to London City Airport (2005)
	Croydon Tramlink and the Manchester Metrolink Phase II extension to Eccles both opened in 2000.

Road User Pricing Schemes

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the EU requirement that from 2010 EU member states must vary charges for lorries using the trans-European road network according to their Euro emissions class for plans for road user pricing schemes in Britain.

Stephen Ladyman: The agreement on amending Directive 1999/62 on toll charges for goods vehicles will require that, where member states choose to apply tolls for heavy goods vehicles on the Trans-European Road Network, they must be differentiated according to their Euro emissions class.
	The UK was able to accept this requirement as we consider that it can be readily assimilated into any road pricing arrangements that might be applied in the UK, and would have the benefit of providing an incentive for cleaner vehicles.

Rural Bus Subsidy Grant

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what schemes have been put in place under the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant; and if he will list the towns which have received funding.

Karen Buck: Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) is allocated to Local Transport Authorities in England on the basis of population numbers living in rural areas. The grant is used by authorities to provide new and enhanced rural bus services and other services to improve rural accessibility, for example demand responsive transport or taxibus services. Decisions on which services to support are a matter for each authority. The Department does not collect information on the particular towns served as a result of these decisions. However, monitoring returns for 2003–04 show that in that year RBSG was used to support a total of about 2,200 services on which over 29 million passenger journeys were made (data for 2004–05 is currently being collected).

Segregated Cycleways

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken into the (a) cost and (b) feasibility of providing a comprehensive network of segregated cycleways.

Derek Twigg: The Department has not undertaken any research into the cost or feasibility of providing a national comprehensive system of segregated cycleways.
	The responsibility for the planning, design and construction of cycle facilities rest with individual local highway authorities and we encourage them to them develop a cycling strategy within their Local Transport Plans, the main mechanism of central government funding for local transport. Local cycling strategies will need to consider whether cycle networks need to be physically segregated from other traffic, depending on local conditions.

Transport Infrastructure

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on transport infrastructure in each year since 2000–01 from (a) public funds and (b) private investment.

Karen Buck: Investment in transport infrastructure in Great Britain since 2000–01 is as follows:
	
		£ million (outturn prices)
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Road infrastructure 
			 Public 3,344 3,643 4,108 4,191 
			 Private 47 45 39 40 
			 Total 3,391 3,688 4,147 4,231 
			 Airports and air traffic control
			 Public(19) 163 57 71 70 
			 Private(19) 566 630 784 1,384 
			 Total 729 687 854 1,454 
			 Rail infrastructure 2,790 3,652 4,241 5,186 
			 Ports infrastructure 205 233 236 307 
			 All infrastructure 7,114 8,260 9,479 11,177 
		
	
	(19) Investment in NATS switched from public to private funding between 2000–01 and 2001–02
	A split by public and private funding is not available for rail and ports infrastructure. The Government made direct grants to Railtrack plc./Network Rail and London and Continental Railways relating to investment on infrastructure undertaken by those companies as follows:
	
		£ million (outturn prices)
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Railtrack plc./Network Rail 0 499 792 1,448 
			 London and Continental Railways 0 185 374 222 
		
	
	Investment in ports infrastructure is mainly from private investment. Further information on transport investment in infrastructure and rolling stock can be found in Tables 1.14 and 1.15 in Transport Statistics Great Britain on the DfT website.

Urban Bus Challenge Fund

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what schemes have been put in place under the Urban Bus Challenge Fund.

Karen Buck: The Department's Urban Bus Challenge competitions were held each year for three years between 2001 and 2003. A total of 106 projects were awarded funding as a result of these competitions. Lists of the particular projects involved in each year were placed in the Library of the House. They are also available on the Department's website.

Vehicle Licensing

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to offer individual motorists the rightto opt out from having their details passed on to third parties by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Stephen Ladyman: The Data Protection Act exempts from its non-disclosure provisions the release of personal data where the law allows it. The provisions governing release of information from DVLA's vehicle register to persons who demonstrate reasonable cause have been in place and worked effectively for over 40 years. However, when these provisions were originally introduced they did not anticipate the introduction of electronic databases, the large number of vehicles on the roads, or the range of bodies now requesting access. Concerns have also recently been raised about the breadth of organisations that have access to the register.
	Whilst it is not possible to allow motorists to opt out of having their details released, I have announced a review of the regulations governing the release of information. This review will take place shortly.

Vehicle Testing

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies he has made of the vehicle testing regimes in force in other EU countries.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 16 January 2006
	The Department for Transport is represented on the technical committee which has responsibility in the EU for vehicle roadworthiness testing, and we are therefore aware of the nature of the testing regimes which operate in other member states. We have not made any recent specific studies of them.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Paralympics

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to support the 2012 Paralympics; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Hosting the Paralympic Games is of great importance to the Government, particularly as the origins of the Paralympic movement lie in the competition held in 1948 at Stoke Mandeville.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, as lead Government Department for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, is determined that the 2012 Paralympic Games will be a showcase for Paralympic sport, strengthening the Paralympic movement and setting new standards for services, facilities and opportunities for disabled people.
	The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) which is responsible for organising, publicising and staging the 2012 Games, has announced that for the first time planning for the Paralympic Games will be fully integrated with the Olympic Games. LOCOG is committed to providing a compact and inclusive Paralympic Games, with high quality accessible venues and transport services and excellent village facilities for athletes, as well as team and technical officials.

Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what definition her Department uses of (a) B1, (b) B2, (c) B3 and (d) B4 gambling machines.

Richard Caborn: Under section 236 of the Gambling Act 2005, the Secretary of State is required to make regulations defining four classes of gaming machine for the purposes of the Act (to be known as categories A, B, C and D), and to divide category B into sub-categories.
	The Government set out their intentions in this respect in the regulatory impact assessment that accompanied the 2005 Act, published on 21 April 2005, and this remains Government policy. The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Category Maximum stake (£) Maximum prize (£) Location(s) Maximum number (per premises) 
		
		
			 B1 2 4,000 All casinos 20 in existing casinos 
			 80 in small casinos 
			 150 in large casinos 
			  
			 B2 100 per game; 15 per chip 500 Premises licensed for betting 4 
			  
			 B3 1 500 Bingo clubs and adult gaming centres 4 
			  
			 B4 1 250 Clubs and miners' welfare institutes 3

Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance (a) she and (b) the Gambling Commission have produced on whether a licensing authority may (i) object to a casino premises licence and (ii) introduce a policy not to issue casino licences on (A) moral grounds and (B) on the grounds that it considers gambling to be indesirable.

Richard Caborn: It is the function of the Gambling Commission to issue guidance to licensing authorities, and draft guidance was published by the Commission on 10 December 2005. This includes guidance on the exercise of licensing authority functions with respect to casino premises licences.
	Under section 166 of the 2005 Act, licensing authorities have the power to pass a resolution not to issue casino premises licences and, in passing such a resolution, they are allowed to have regard to any principle or matter. However, where a licensing authority has the power to issue casino premises licences, and it has not made a resolution under section 166, it must exercise its functions in accordance with the requirements of the Act. Section 153 sets out the principles to be applied by licensing authorities in considering premises licence applications. That section requires licensing authorities to aim to permit the use of premises for gambling in so far as they think that accords with any relevant Commission code of practice or guidance and with their own policy statement, and in so far as they think that to do so would be reasonably consistent with the licensing objectives of the Act.

Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance (a) she and (b) the Gambling Commission have produced on the (i) minimum and (ii) maximum floor size of a betting section of a (A) small, (B) large and (C) regional casino.

Richard Caborn: Section 7(5) of the Gambling Act 2005 requires the Secretary of State to make regulations by reference to which any casino may be classified as a regional, large or small casino. Regulations under this subsection may make provision by reference to the floor area used or designated for a specified purpose. We set out our intentions in this respect in the Government's response to the first report of the Joint Committee on the draft Gambling Bill (Cm 6253). This information was also reproduced in my answer to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 711W.
	The Government and the Gambling Commission do not intend to set maximum or minimum areas that must be dedicated specifically to betting within any category of casino.

Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the timetable for the Casino Advisory Panel to receive expressions of interest is from (a) local authorities and (b) other interested parties in relation to the allocation of casino licences to different parts of the country.

Richard Caborn: The Casino Advisory Panel has published the broad timetable for its work on its website (www.culture.gov.uk/cap). The panel is still developing the detailed process it will follow in developing its recommendations. However, it expects that the closing date for proposals from local authorities will be by the end of March 2006. Other interested parties may write to the panel at any time.

Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Casino Advisory Panel will be designating (a) regions, (b) sub-regions and (c) specific local authority areas as locations for the new gambling licences.

Richard Caborn: It is the responsibility of the Secretary of State to specify which licensing authorities should be able to issue the one regional, eight large and eight small casino premises licences permitted by the Gambling Act 2005. The role of the Casino Advisory Panel is to make recommendations to the Secretary of State to assist her in this function, and it has been asked to recommend specific licensing authorities.

Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether (a) she and (b) the Gambling Commission are required to follow the advice of the Casino Advisory Panel in designating the locations for the new gambling licences.

Richard Caborn: The Casino Advisory Panel is a non-statutory body, and the Secretary of State is not formally bound by its recommendations. However, the panel has been established by the Secretary of State to assist her with her order making power under section 175 (4) of the Gambling Act 2005 to determine the geographical distribution of the new casino premises licences.

Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the timetable is for the designation of locations for new gambling licences; and (a) how and (b) when Parliament will be consulted.

Richard Caborn: The Casino Advisory Panel has been asked to make its recommendations by the end of 2006. The intention is that the Secretary of State will lay a draft order specifying the licensing authorities which are to have the power to issue casino premises licences before both Houses of Parliament during the spring of 2007. This order is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, requiring the approval of both before it can be made.

Departmental Estate

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the former (a) buildings and (b) land of (i) her Department and (ii) (A) non-departmental public bodies, (B) agencies and (C) independent statutory bodies for which her Department is responsible which have been sold since 7 May 1997; what the sale price of each (1) was at the time of sale and (2) is at current prices; and whether the money accrued was (x) retained by her Department and (y) claimed by the Treasury.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport sold the freehold of the North East Corner of the Royal Garden Hotel, London in 2005 for the sum of £2.5 million.
	In addition, in 2003 the Department sold the freehold of 33 Park Street, Windsor for £30,000; and in 2005 it sold the freeholds of 30, 31 and 32 Park Street for a total of £110,000.
	The Department sold 10 Chantry Close, Windsor in 2003 for £232,000.
	The Royal Parks sold 183 Kidbrooke Park Road, London in March 1999 for £120,000.
	In each case the money was retained by the Department or The Royal Parks as an appropriation in aid".
	Information about the current value of property or land, or about sales of property or land, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by (a) her Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which she is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06.

David Lammy: Details of the cost of pension contributions are published annually in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Resource Accounts and the Royal Parks Agency's Resource Accounts. Copies are placed in the Libraries of the House.
	For 2005–06, employers' contributions are payable to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) at one of four rates in the ranges 16.2 to 24.6 per cent. of pensionable pay, based on salary bands. The Scheme Actuary reviews employer contributions every four years following a full scheme valuation; last carried out as at 31 March 2003. The contribution rates reflect the cost of benefits as they accrue (net of employee contributions), not the costs as they are actually incurred, and reflect past experience of the scheme.
	The information requested for non-departmental public bodies and other public bodies for which the Secretary of State is responsible is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by her Department on refreshments in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.
	The following table shows expenditure on refreshments, including working breakfasts or lunches, refreshment at meetings and official entertainment by the Department since 1997–98. In 2002–03 changes were made in the way refreshment expenditure was captured to include associated staff costs following the contracting out of the hospitality service.
	
		
			 Financial year Expenditure (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 15,269.81 
			 1998–99 24,496.51 
			 1999–2000 33,359.78 
			 2000–01 51,666.75 
			 2001–02 32,586.56 
			 2002–03 87,150.29 
			 2003–04 90,007.37 
			 2004–05 97,803.39 
			 2005–06 (to December 2005) 37,823.40

Digital Television (Wales)

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings the Department has held with representatives of the BBC relating to Freeview coverage in (a) Monmouthshire and (b) Wales in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: Officials meet regularly with Ofcom, spectrum planners and broadcasters about detailed plans for digital terrestrial coverage at digital switchover. These discussions often include the BBC and cover a wide range of issues including digital terrestrial coverage in Wales.

Energy Efficiency

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of electricity used bybuildings in (a) her Department and (b) its agenciescame from renewable sources in each year from 1997.

James Purnell: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) The proportion of electricity used by the Department that was from renewable sources was as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 2004–05 86 
			 2003–04 83 
		
	
	The Department was not supplied with renewable energy prior to 2003, but is now supplied with 100 per cent. renewable energy.
	(b) The proportion of electricity used by The Royal Parks that was from renewable sources was as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 2004–05 100 
			 2003–04 100 
			 2002–03 100 
		
	
	The Royal Parks do not hold data for periods prior to 2002.

Gaming Act

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications to the Gaming Board were (a) submitted and (b) approved for gambling licences under the Gaming Act 1968 in each year since 1996–97, including 2005–06 to date.

Richard Caborn: The tables set out the number of applications by sector that the Gambling Commission (previously the Gaming Board for Great Britain) received and approved for gambling licences during the period requested.
	
		
			  Bingo Consent 
			  Applications received Applications issued(20) 
		
		
			 1996–97 86 90 
			 1997–98 83 48 
			 1998–99 43 43 
			 1999–2000 56 48 
			 2000–01 41 25 
			 2001–02 56 46 
			 2002–03 26 54 
			 2003–04 30 30 
			 2004–05 21 17 
			 2005–06 (to January 2006) 13 13 
			 Total 455 414 
		
	
	(20) Once a certificate of consent is issued, operators can then apply to the Licensing Justices for a Gambling Licence.
	
		
			  Casino Consent 
			  Applications received Applications issued(21) 
		
		
			 1996–97 15 11 
			 1997–98 15 16 
			 1998–99 14 11 
			 1999–2000 16 15 
			 2000–01 20 16 
			 2001–02 12 9 
			 2002–03 28 23 
			 2003–04 17 19 
			 2004–05 30 18 
			 2005–06 (to January 2006) 49 35 
			 Total 216 173 
		
	
	(21) Once a certificate of consent is issued, operators can then apply to the Licensing Justices for a Gaming Licence.
	
		
			  Gaming machines new 
			  applications received applications issued Gaming machines renewal applications received Gaming machines certificates renewed 
		
		
			 1996–97 28 23 110 105 
			 1997–98 38 22 126 109 
			 1998–99 31 22 100 102 
			 1999–2000 20 22 118 98 
			 2000–01 16 17 98 92 
			 2001–02 26 19 115 105 
			 2002–03 22 22 82 78 
			 2003–04 22 29 85 96 
			 2004–05 24 20 88 75 
			 2005–06 (to January 2006) 22 24 111 124 
			 Total 249 220 1,033 984 
		
	
	
		
			  Employees certificate of approval (Section 19) 
			  Applications received Applications approved 
		
		
			 1996–97 5,518 5,051 
			 1997–98 3,992 3,574 
			 1998–99 5,509 5,056 
			 1999–2000 4,637 4,106 
			 2000–01 5,541 4,906 
			 2001–02 5,220 4,777 
			 2002–03 3,113 2,771 
			 2003–04 4,206 3,671 
			 2004–05 4,276 3,736 
			 2005–06 (to January  2006) 2,789 2,531 
			 Total 44,801 40,179 
		
	
	
		
			  Lotteries registration 
			  Applications received Applications approved 
		
		
			 1996–97 85 89 
			 1997–98 65 57 
			 1998–99 24 44 
			 1999–2000 55 52 
			 2000–01 48 46 
			 2001–02 37 40 
			 2002–03 38 35 
			 2003–04 39 38 
			 2004–05 45 42 
			 2005–06 (to January  2006) 21 20 
			 Total 457 463 
		
	
	
		
			  Total gaming applications received Total gaming applications approved 
		
		
			 1996–97 6,985 6,421 
			 1997–98 5,368 4,855 
			 1998–99 6,739 6,224 
			 1999–2000 5,866 5,260 
			 2000–01 6,690 5,986 
			 2001–02 6,398 5,887 
			 2002–03 4,239 3,885 
			 2003–04 5,337 4,803 
			 2004–05 5,391 4,870 
			 2005–06 (to January  2006) 3,879 3,643 
			 Total 56,892 51,834

Gaming Act

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if a date has been determined for when applications for a casino licence under the Gaming Act 1968 will cease to be considered or issued.

Richard Caborn: A draft order was published on the DCMS website for consultation on 23 December 2005. This proposes setting a final date of 28 April 2006 for applications under the Gaming Act 1968 for certificates of consent in respect of new casinos.

Grand Prix Motor Racing

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information her Department holds on the amounts of public funding made available to support Grand Prix motor racing in other EU member states.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not currently hold any current information on the amounts of public funding made available to support Grand Prix motor racing in other EU member states.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Heritage Lottery Fund has spent on (a) works of art and (b) other artefacts in each year since the Fund was established; and what proportion of its expenditure this represented in each case in each year.

David Lammy: The Heritage Lottery Fund only holds acquisitions data broken down by art and artefacts for those acquisitions made with its funds by museums and galleries. This information is summarised as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year HLF total annual spend (£) HLF spend on acquisition of works of art for museums and galleries (£) Acquisition of artwork as percentage of total HLF spend HLF spend on acquisition of artefacts/other objects for museums and galleries (£) Acquisition of other objects as percentage of total HLF spend 
		
		
			 1994–95 24,607,922 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 1995–96 183,572,167 18,457,374 10.1 352,700 0.2 
			 1996–97 466,249,414 12,025,982 2.6 809,855 0.2 
			 1997–98 330,049,351 15,319,417 4.6 9,163,098 2.8 
			 1998–99 336,230,755 5,257,975 1.6 979,900 0.3 
			 1999–2000 248,624,510 11,884,537 4.8 569,779 0.2 
			 2000–01 309,819,205 6,295,550 2.0 1,353,495 0.4 
			 2001–02 308,784,067 11,157,050 3.6 2,777,607 0.9 
			 2002–03 323,920,869 14,049,578 4.3 6,442,550 2.0 
			 2003–04 300,712,251 16,147,240 5.4 2,459,605 0.8 
			 2004–05 343,217,638 2,250,400 0.7 1,789,550 0.5 
			 Grand total 3,175,788,149 112,845,103 3.6 26,698,139 0.8

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Apprenticeships

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much is allocated to spending on Adult Apprenticeship pilots at (a) Level 2, (b) Level 3 and (c) graduate apprenticeships funded by the Learning and Skills Council; and whether these funds are included in the (i) work-based learning and (ii) NETP budget allocations.

Phil Hope: The Learning and Skills Council National Office have allocated £2 million to the Apprenticeships for Adult entry trials, from their Workforce Development budget. This is not part of either the work based learning or NETP funding lines. The trials include programmes at Level 2 and Level 3. It is not possible at this stage to identify the proportion of that funding allocated at each level. Graduate Apprenticeships are not part of this trial.

Apprenticeships

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of (a) apprenticeships and (b) advanced apprenticeships supported by the Learning and Skills Council which commenced in 2002 have been successfully completed.

Phil Hope: The following table shows completion rates for apprenticeship programmes from 2002/03 to 2004/05.
	
		
			 Programme type Numbers completing frameworks Framework completion rate (x percentage) 
		
		
			 2002/03   
			 Advanced apprenticeships 18,624 32 
			 Apprenticeships 24,336 24 
			 All apprenticeships 42,960 27 
			
			 2003/04   
			 Advanced apprenticeships 16,448 32 
			 Apprenticeships 32,040 30 
			 All apprenticeships 48,488 31 
			
			 2004/05   
			 Advanced apprenticeships 19,068 38 
			 Apprenticeships 47,677 40 
			 All apprenticeships 66,745 40

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the Minister of State for Children will reply to the letter dated 30 November 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs. Nazia Parvega.

Beverley Hughes: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Children, Young People and Families replied to my right hon. Friend's letter of 30 November on 11 January.

Departmental Estate

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) land and (b) property is owned by her Department in Castle Point.

Maria Eagle: The Department does not own any (a) land and (b) property in Castle Point.

Departmental Targets

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which departmental targets for 2005 were not met.

Bill Rammell: The Department for Education and Skills publishes progress against PSA targets through its Departmental Annual Report and Autumn Performance Report. Progress was reported most recently in the 2005 Autumn Performance Report (CM 6719), which was published in December 2005 and is available in the House of Commons Library.

Education Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her latest estimate is of the total average cost to public funds per student of attending higher education in England, including maintenance costs and student tuition; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The planned level of public funding for higher education institutions in the financial year 2005–06 is £4,630 1 per full-time equivalent fundable student 2 , excluding income from tuition fees. This represents the DfES grant per student for teaching and research.
	The provisional average fee expenditure per English domiciled student support scheme student in academic year 2005/06 is £540 1 per student (based on fee support eligible students). The provisional average cost of maintenance expenditure (allowances and grants 3 ) in AY 2005/06 is £280 per student (based on students eligible for support).
	The provisional average amount of student loan taken out by English domiciled student support scheme students taking out a loan in AY 2005/06 is estimated to be £3,490. This represents the average cash value of maintenance loans advanced. In resource cost terms this would be around £770 (based on a RAB 4 charge of 22 per cent. under a 2.2 per cent. discount rate).
	The different components of the total average cost to public funds given cannot be sensibly aggregated to give an overall cost per student as they relate to different student populations.
	1 Figure rounded to the nearest £10.
	2 Includes full time and part time undergraduate and postgraduate students.
	3 These allowances and HE Grants are available to eligible students for extra help depending on their circumstances, (e.g. students with disabilities, students with dependents, single parent students, those incurring certain travel costs and those who have recently left care).
	4 The RAB (Resource Accounting and Budgeting) charge is an estimate of the cost to Government of the percentage of the face value of loans issued in a given year which reflects the resource cost over the expected life of the loan to the Government of making loans.

Education Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the total costs of higher education were paid by (a) tuition fees and (b) public subsidy in each year from 1992–93; what the estimate is for each year to 2007–08; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows the proportion of total income to English HE institutions from tuition fees and public funding, for years for which data is available. Figures for years beyond 2003/04 are not available because we do not estimate future income to institutions.
	
		Percentage
		
			  1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 
		
		
			 Proportion of income from public funding(22) 71 70 68 67 63 
			 Proportion of income from tuition fees(22) 21 21 22 22 23 
		
	
	
		Percentage
		
			  1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 
		
		
			 Proportion of income from public funding(22) 61 60 60 60 60 
			 Proportion of income from tuition fees(22) 23 23 24 25 25 
		
	
	(22) Both proportions will include tuition fee income from public sources, which accounted for around 9 per cent. of total income in 2003/04. Total income to institutions will also include (non-tuition fee) income from private sources.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency Finance Record
	Estimates of the fee income to higher education providers under the variable fees policy are contained in my written statement of 10 November 2005, Official Report, column 22WS.

Education Working Groups

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what EU working groups deal with education.

Bill Rammell: There is one formal working group of the Council of the EU dealing with education, the Education Committee, which prepares for the Education Council. DfES officials attend this committee along with an official from the UK Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.
	In addition to this there are a number of ad hoc expert groups set up by the European Commission as part of the Open Method of Co-ordination (a means of spreading best practice first set out in the Lisbon Council Conclusions of March 2002), principally under 'Education and Training 2010', the education strand of the Lisbon strategy. These groups are not formal Council working groups, are voluntary and assist the Commission to develop initiatives. Experts in this context may be expert officials from the particular government department or non-governmental experts appointed by Ministries or the Commission, depending on the remit of the group.
	There is also an Advisory Committee on Vocational Training, attended by officials, which has a statutory basis: to advise the European Commission on any initiatives it takes in the field of vocational education and training. Directors General for both Vocational Training and Higher Education from the EU member states meet usually twice a year to discuss priorities in education and training.

Gershon Review

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on progress towards Gershon Review cost-cutting targets in her Department.

Bill Rammell: My Department reported progress towards our Gershon Review target in the Department's Autumn Performance Report. It will report further progress in the Departmental Annual Report which we expect to publish in April.

Graduation Statistics

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of those (a) enrolling in and (b) obtaining (i) post-graduate and (ii) doctoral degrees in (A) 1995 and (B) 2005 attended (1) fee-paying secondary schools and (2) state-funded secondary schools.

Bill Rammell: The available information on the previous school type of students is published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in Performance Indicators in Higher Education in the UK1. However, these figures cover undergraduate entrants only and corresponding information for postgraduates is not available.
	The latest available information on the school background of higher education students covers young (aged under 21) first degree entrants, and is shown in the following table.
	
		Proportion of UK domiciled young full-time first degree entrants to English Institutions from state schools and colleges
		
			 Academic year Proportion from state schools and colleges 
		
		
			 1997/98 81.0 
			 1998/99 84.4 
			 1999/2000 84.1 
			 2000/01 85.0 
			 2001/02 85.2 
			 2002/03 86.4 
			 2003/04 86.1 
		
	
	Source:
	Performance Indicators in Higher Education" published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Higher Education

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of adults in England have completed higher education courses.

Bill Rammell: This data is not available precisely in the form requested.
	In summer 2005 the Labour Force Survey estimates that 26.6 per cent. of working age people in England were qualified to level 4 or higher (higher education level). This equates to 8.2 million people of working age.
	In the last academic year, 2004/05, 427,825 English domiciled students obtained higher education level qualifications at UK Higher Education institutions.

Respite Breaks

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information she collects on the (a) availability and (b) demand for respite breaks for parents of disabled children; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Education and Skills does not collect this information directly. The Department uses the Shared Care Network National Survey.
	(a) The 2006 Shared Care Network survey (to be published later this year) identifies 128 short break schemes in the UK, with over 6,500 children using these services.
	(b) The 1999 Shared Care Network survey found that 89 per cent. of schemes had a waiting list, with 3,736 children waiting for a service.

Schools (Broadband Internet Access)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools has broadband internet access (i) in England and (ii) local education authority.

Phil Hope: A list of broadband internet connections to (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools within each local authority in England is attached at annex 1.
	As at November 2005, 85 per cent. of schools (99 per cent. of secondary schools and 83 per cent. of primary schools) had access to broadband.
	
		Annex 1: Broadband connections by local authority as at 30 November 2005
		
			 Local Authority Number of secondary schools connected Percentage of secondary schools connected Number of primary schools connected Percentage of primary schools connected 
		
		
			 Cumbria 43 100 230 81 
			 Lancashire 88 100 406 83 
			 Bedfordshire 47 82 83 56 
			 Cambridgeshire 31 100 205 100 
			 Essex 80 100 215 45 
			 Hertfordshire 82 100 415 99 
			 Luton 12 100 42 69 
			 Milton Keynes 12 100 91 100 
			 Norfolk 52 100 338 88 
			 Peterborough 14 100 59 100 
			 Southend on Sea 12 100 37 100 
			 Suffolk 78 100 92 36 
			 Thurrock 10 100 46 100 
			 Derby City 13 100 81 100 
			 Derbyshire 49 100 229 64 
			 Leicester City 16 100 49 57 
			 Leicestershire 55 100 131 58 
			 Lincolnshire 67 100 149 52 
			 Northamptonshire 44 100 189 70 
			 Nottingham City 19 100 58 57 
			 Nottinghamshire 48 100 200 65 
			 Rutland 4 100 9 53 
			 Darlington 7 100 34 100 
			 Gateshead 10 100 76 100 
			 Hartlepool 6 100 30 100 
			 Middlesbrough 8 100 43 100 
			 North Tyneside 16 100 56 100 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 11 100 50 100 
			 South Tyneside 11 100 50 100 
			 Stockton 16 100 64 100 
			 Barking 9 100 50 100 
			 Barnet 21 100 91 100 
			 Bexley 15 100 61 100 
			 Brent 15 100 59 100 
			 Bromley 17 100 78 100 
			 Camden 9 100 41 100 
			 City of London 0 — 1 100 
			 Croydon 25 100 92 100 
			 Ealing 11 92 65 100 
			 Enfield 16 94 66 100 
			 Greenwich 16 100 64 100 
			 Hackney 8 100 55 98 
			 Hammersmith 9 100 36 97 
			 Haringey 11 100 60 92 
			 Harrow 10 100 55 100 
			 Havering 18 100 66 100 
			 Hillingdon 17 100 46 72 
			 Hounslow 14 100 61 100 
			 Islington 9 100 43 98 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4 100 27 100 
			 Kingston 10 100 11 30 
			 Lambeth 12 100 61 100 
			 Lewisham 12 100 68 100 
			 Merton 8 100 42 100 
			 Newham 15 100 65 100 
			 Redbridge 17 100 51 100 
			 Richmond on Thames 8 100 9 22 
			 Southwark 12 100 69 96 
			 Sutton 14 100 41 100 
			 Tower Hamlets 16 100 71 100 
			 Waltham Forest 19 100 60 100 
			 Wandsworth 11 100 55 100 
			 Westminster 8 100 40 100 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 9 100 33 56 
			 Blackpool 8 100 32 100 
			 Bolton 16 100 8 8 
			 Bury 14 100 22 35 
			 Cheshire 46 100 214 75 
			 Halton 8 100 38 73 
			 Knowsley 11 100 59 100 
			 Liverpool 33 100 148 100 
			 Manchester 23 100 139 100 
			 Oldham 15 100 51 64 
			 Rochdale 14 100 75 100 
			 Salford 14 100 82 99 
			 Sefton 22 100 90 100 
			 St. Helens 11 100 57 98 
			 Stockport 14 100 100 99 
			 Trafford 16 89 71 97 
			 Warrington 12 100 74 100 
			 Wirral 21 95 98 97 
			 Bracknell Forest 6 100 30 100 
			 Brighton and Hove 9 100 55 98 
			 Buckinghamshire 34 100 104 56 
			 East Sussex 27 100 152 97 
			 Hampshire 69 97 428 97 
			 Isle of Wight 21 100 46 100 
			 Kent 104 100 298 63 
			 Medway 19 100 90 100 
			 Portsmouth 10 100 54 100 
			 Reading 7 100 37 100 
			 Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 13 100 46 100 
			 Slough 11 100 27 100 
			 Southampton 14 100 63 100 
			 Surrey 53 100 320 100 
			 West Berkshire 10 100 45 66 
			 West Sussex 39 98 182 75 
			 Wokingham 9 100 52 100 
			 Banes 13 100 51 75 
			 Bournemouth 10 100 27 100 
			 Bristol 17 100 77 65 
			 Cornwall 31 100 200 83 
			 Devon 37 100 243 78 
			 Dorset 34 100 96 70 
			 Gloucestershire 42 100 226 90 
			 North Somerset 10 100 42 65 
			 Plymouth 17 100 79 100 
			 Poole 9 100 29 100 
			 Somerset 39 100 186 83 
			 South Gloucestershire 14 100 96 100 
			 Swindon 10 100 67 100 
			 Torbay 8 100 31 94 
			 Wiltshire 29 91 207 96 
			 Birmingham 76 100 311 100 
			 Coventry 19 100 86 100 
			 Dudley 22 100 82 100 
			 Sandwell 18 100 101 100 
			 Solihull 13 100 56 82 
			 Walsall 20 100 94 100 
			 Wolverhampton 19 100 82 100 
			 Staffordshire 73 100 214 69 
			 Stoke 17 100 74 100 
			 Herefordshire 14 100 83 99 
			 Worcestershire 49 84 91 47 
			 Shropshire 22 100 143 100 
			 Telford and Wrekin 14 100 66 100 
			 Warwickshire 37 100 146 73 
			 Calderdale 14 93 63 74 
			 Doncaster 17 100 55 53 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 18 100 132 98 
			 Kingston-upon-Hull 15 100 77 100 
			 Kirkless MBC 34 100 79 52 
			 North East Lincolnshire 12 100 56 95 
			 North Lincolnshire 14 100 47 72 
			 North Yorkshire 47 100 235 71 
			 Rotherham 16 100 105 97 
			 Sheffield 27 100 122 87 
			 Wakefield 18 100 125 100 
			 Northumberland 59 100 72 51 
			 Oxfordshire 34 100 233 100 
			 Leeds 41 100 221 98 
			 Newcastle 18 100 72 100 
			 Wigan 21 100 108 100 
			 Bradford 28 100 159 100 
			 York 11 100 54 100 
			 Durham 36 100 221 92 
			 Sunderland 18 100 84 100 
			 Tameside 18 100 76 100 
			 Barnsley 14 100 84 99

Special Education Needs

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) proportion of the Budget and (b) amount per pupil was spent by each local education authority in the Yorkshire and Humber region on special education needs.

Maria Eagle: The information requested for each local education authority in the Yorkshire and Humber region can be found in the following table and is for the financial year 2005–06:
	
		
			  Total planned expenditure on the education of children with SEN1,2(£) Total planned expenditure on SEN transport1 (£) Total planned education revenue expenditure (£) Total planned expenditure on the education of children with SEN (excluding SEN transport) as a percentage of total education spending 
		
		
			 Local authority name (a) (b) (c) (a/c) 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 382,531,000 42,858,000 3,173,505,000 12.1 
			 Barnsley 14,700,000 1,315,000 131,550,000 11.2 
			 Bradford 43,949,000 4,836,000 351,110,000 12.5 
			 Calderdale 15,728,000 1,667,000 137,501,000 11.4 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 22,823,000 2,661,000 166,771,000 13.7 
			 Doncaster 18,491,000 2,789,000 194,361,000 9.5 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 20,982,000 3,736,000 189,343,000 11.1 
			 Kirklees 25,619,000 3,278,000 247,896,000 10.3 
			 Leeds 53,623,000 5,934,000 440,686,000 12.2 
			 North East Lincolnshire 13,955,000 939,000 105,811,000 13.2 
			 North Lincolnshire 14,645,000 1,531,000 95,511,000 15.3 
			 North Yorkshire 44,326,000 3,911,000 348,999,000 12.7 
			 Rotherham 23,492,000 1,912,000 177,677,000 13.2 
			 Sheffield 35,692,000 4,382,000 298,942,000 11.9 
			 Wakefield 22,217,000 2,924,000 195,547,000 11.4 
			 York 12,288,000 1,045,000 91,799,000 13.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Total planned expenditure on the education of children with SEN (including SEN transport) as a percentage of total education spending Total number of pupils with special educational needs as at January 2005(25) Total planned expenditure on the education of children with SEN (excluding SEN transport) per SEN pupil(26)(5508640027)(28) Total planned expenditure on the education of children with SEN (including SEN transport) per SEN pupil(26)(5508640027)(28) 
			 Local authority name ((a+b)/c) (d) (a/d) ((a+b)/d) 
		
		
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 13.4 143,870 2,660 2,960 
			 Barnsley 12.2 6,170 2,380 2,600 
			 Bradford 13.9 17,070 2,570 2,860 
			 Calderdale 12.7 5,670 2,770 3,070 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 15.3 8,060 2,830 3,160 
			 Doncaster 10.9 7,830 2,360 2,720 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 13.1 7,560 2,780 3,270 
			 Kirklees 11.7 11,330 2,260 2,550 
			 Leeds 13.5 16,790 3,190 3,550 
			 North East Lincolnshire 14.1 6,670 2,090 2,230 
			 North Lincolnshire 16.9 5,800 2,530 2,790 
			 North Yorkshire 13.8 13,100 3,380 3,680 
			 Rotherham 14.3 9,460 2,480 2,690 
			 Sheffield 13.4 15,500 2,300 2,590 
			 Wakefield 12.9 8,510 2,610 2,950 
			 York 14.5 4,360 2,820 3,060 
		
	
	(23) Figures are reported using cash terms as submitted by the LEA on 13 January 2006.
	(24) Includes planned expenditure on the provision for pupils with statements and the provision for non-statemented pupils with SEN, support for inclusion, inter authority recoupment, fees for pupils at independent special schools and abroad, educational psychology service, LA functions in relation to child protection, therapies and other health related services, parent partnership, guidance and information, the monitoring of SEN provision and inclusion administration, assessment and co-ordination. Also included is the funding delegated to local authority maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools identified as notional SEN" and the individual schools budget for special schools. The figures recorded against notional SEN" are only indicative of the amount that might by spent by schools on SEN. Not included is any budgeted SEN transport expenditure.
	(25) The total number of pupils with SEN as at January 2005 is calculated as the combination of all pupils in special schools (maintained and non-maintained), all pupils in maintained schools with statements, SEN pupils without statements in maintained schools and pupils in independent schools and academies with statements. These figures are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census and Form 8B and are rounded to the nearest 10 pupils.
	(26) The latest financial data available are Budget data for financial year 2005–06 while the pupil numbers are as at January 2005. Consequently there is a mismatch between academic and financial year pupils with the denominator for the unit cost being the number of pupils with SEN on the census date in January of the 2005–06 financial year.
	(27) The unit cost calculated by dividing planned expenditure on SEN by the number of pupils with SEN obscures a much larger range of costs and is a mixture of all the education costs for children in maintained special schools and just the SEN part of the education of children in other settings.
	(28) Figures are rounded to the nearest £10 and may not sum due to rounding.
	Note:
	Financial data are taken from local authorities' 2005–06 Section 52 Budget Statements submitted to the DfES while pupil numbers are drawn from the January 2005 DfES Annual Schools Census and Form 8b.

Special Education Needs

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to local authorities in 2005 on (a) the issuing of statements of educational need and (b) statemented provision.

Maria Eagle: The statutory guidance on these matters, to which local authorities and others must have regard, is contained in the special educational needs (SEN) code of practice which was published in 2001. On 15 November 2005 the Department wrote to all chief education officers/directors of children's services in England giving advice on SEN procedures. The letter included advice on the Department's understanding of the law in respect of local authorities adopting blanket policies on carrying out statutory assessments and on specifying and quantifying provision in statements. The full text of the letter is available at www.teachernet.gov.uk/sen

Staying-on Rates (Westmorland and Lonsdale)

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average staying-on rate in post-16 education was in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The percentage of 16-year-olds in full-time education in England at the end of 2004 was estimated to be 74.2 per cent.—the highest ever rate. Percentage figures on participation in education by young people are not available for parliamentary constituencies, but are available for local authorities—including Cumbria LEA. These were published in the Statistical First Release Participation in education and training by 16 and 17-year-olds in each local area in England"—SFR11/2005 on 31 March 2005.
	The publication is accessible on the DfES website via the link, http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/index.shtml.
	The specific figures are available through the following link: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/SFR11–2005tables_lea.xls.

Train to Gain Programme

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the level of spending on adult Level 3 training within the NETP Train to Gain programme in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08.

Phil Hope: The National Employer Training Programme is due to be rolled out from April 2006 under the title Train to Gain". Within the programme we shall be trialling, initially in two regions North West and West Midlands, a subsidy to support those undertaking a Level 3 qualification. We have allocated £20 million in each of 2006–07 and 2007–08 for the trials.
	In addition, employers in all regions will be able to obtain support through Train to Gain for employees without a first Level 2 qualification and who wish to go straight onto a Level 3 qualification. The support provided to these employees will be equivalent to what they would have received, had the learner been undertaking a Level 2 qualification in the same area. The cost of supporting those doing Level 3 rather than Level 2 will come out of the overall Train to Gain budget, rather than from a separate budget.

HEALTH

Cancer Treatment (GP Referrals)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the national health service has made towards meeting its target of a maximum two-month wait from urgent GP referral to first treatment for all cancers.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 12 January 2006
	The standard of a maximum wait of two months from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment was introduced at the end of December 2005. The latest data on progress towards achievement of the standard are for quarter two, 2005–06 (July to September 2005) where 80.5 per cent. of patients received their first treatment for cancer within two months of urgent referral by their general practitioner. Progress data towards the one month (31 day) and two month (62 day) targets are available on the Department's website since quarter four, 2004–5, at:
	www.performance.doh.gov.uk/cancerwaits/index.htm.

Consultants

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the consultants which are being used by the commercial directorate in her Department; what the value is of those contracts; and whether payments are based on identified cost savings.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 1 December 2005
	The commercial directorate functions as the central point in securing best value as well as achieving greater levels of effectiveness for the Department and the national health service through the use of best commercial practices and better commercial relationships. It is also responsible for the procurement of independent sector treatment centres and the implementation of the NHS supply chain excellence programme.
	The independent sector treatment centre programme has involved procuring circa £2 billion of activity across a range of projects including treatment centres, mobile magnetic resonance imaging scan units, and commuter walk-in centres. The next phase of procurements are currently planned to involve over £3.5 billion of activity. In addition, the implementation of the NHS supply chain excellence programme will deliver potential annualised savings of £500 million by 2007–08.
	In the financial year 2004–05, the directorate used the following consultancy and legal firms at a cost of £38.4 million, including £12.8 million on legal advice, from the department's programmes' budget. These were: Accenture Plc., Addelshaw Goddard, Ashurst and Co., Atos Origin IT, Augmentis, Avail/Yale/Tribal Consulting, Currie and Brown, Deloitte, AT Kearney, Eversheds, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gardiner and Theobald, HOK International, KPMG, Marsh UK Ltd., Morgan Cole, National Economic Research, NDY Consulting, NHS Professionals, OVE Arup and Partners, Precept, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Translucency Ltd., Willis Ltd., Wragge and Co.. Individual contracts vary, but payments are made for work completed against a set of contractual deliverables.
	In addition, in the financial year 2004–05 the directorate had 125 contracts with independent contractors and agencies at a cost of £28.6 million from the Department's programmes' budget.

Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has recently received on the effectiveness of personal dental services contracts; and what assessment she has made of (a) treatment incentives for dentists and (b) the cost-effectiveness of contracts.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not received any formal representations on the effectiveness of personal dental services (PDS) agreements. The evidence of pilot PDS agreements, now covering 35 per cent. of dentists, is that when a dentist's national health service earnings are no longer directly related to individual treatments, he or she are able to plan simpler and more appropriate courses of treatment. This frees up time and capacity that can be used to spend more time with patients, adopt a more preventive approach to dentistry, and improve management of workload.
	Assessing cost-effectiveness depends on what criteria are used to measure outputs or outcomes. Any assessment based on measuring individual items of treatment would not take into account the benefits for patients of simpler and more appropriate courses of treatment and a greater focus on oral health promotion. In the future, the cost effectiveness of contracts could be assessed by comparing expenditure with courses of treatment, numbers of patients accessing services and improvements in oral health.

IVF Treatment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat the basis is for the policy that it is (a) clinically effective and (b) cost effective to restrict NHS funding for IVF treatment to women aged 30 years and over.

Caroline Flint: We do not have such a policy. At our request, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence issued a guideline, in 2004, on the most appropriate clinical treatment for people with fertility problems. That guideline did not refer to restricting in vitro fertilisation treatment to women aged 30 and over. The primary responsibility for the provision of infertility services rests with the national health service at local level. We are discussing with Infertility Network UK, the leading voluntary organisation representing the interests of fertility patients, ways in which they can work with primary care trusts to help ensure that the patient's voice is heard when decisions about the provision of services are made at local level.

Medical Student Debts

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial assistance her Department makes available for medical student debts.

Liam Byrne: The Department makes student support available from the fifth year of undergraduate medical education and for postgraduate students on four-year courses in years two to four.
	Details are available in the documents, A guide to financial support for higher education students in 2005/2006" and Financial Help for Health Care Students (eighth edition)", copies of which are available in the Library. We make no special provision for financial assistance for medical student debts.

Mental Health

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the relationship between different childcare environments and mental health outcomes in (a) infancy and (b) adulthood; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	DfES has commissioned a specific study investigating the effects of different types of childcare and early education settings (the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) study). This and other evidence suggests high quality integrated childcare and education settings are the most effective environments in improving outcomes for children. Childcare can also reduce stress among parents with young children.
	No studies have yet investigated the relationship between different childcare environments and adult mental health.

NHS Finance Data

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much financial support has been committed to eachNHS organisation from (a) strategic health authorities and (b) the NHS Bank in (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06.

Liam Byrne: The latest year for which audited data is available on the financial support given to national health service organisations by strategic health authorities (SHAs), and the NHS Bank is 2004–05.
	Tables have been placed in the Library, which set out the financial support reported by primary care trusts and NHS trusts. Some of this support is internally generated by other organisations within the SHA, and some of the support is provided by the NHS Bank.

Private Finance Initiative

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the capital cost was of each private finance initiative scheme over £25 million for which her Department is responsible (a) at the outline business case stage, (b) as reported in the 2004–05 financial year and (c) in the 2005–06 financial year; and what the percentage change in capital costs (i) has been since the outline business case stage and (ii) is in the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: This information is collected from national health service trusts and is included in the tables to the Health Select Committee as part of the Department's evidence for the annual public expenditure inquiry. This shows the requested information for all schemes over £10 million. A copy of this year's table 5.3.4 has been placed in the Library.

Smoking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2005, Official Report, column 1472W, on smoking, how weighted data differs from unweighted data; and if she will provide the unweighted data for the percentage of adults over 16 years who were smokers, broken down by sex in each year since 1998.

Caroline Flint: Data on smoking for those aged 16 and over are available from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) general household surveys (GHS). Questions on smoking have been included in the GHS biannually since 1974 and annually since 2000 in order to monitor trends in patterns of consumption.
	The weighting of data was introduced on the GHS in 2000. The general household survey 2000 specifies that the introduction of weighted data uses a two-step approach: The data is weighted to compensate for non-response in the survey (sample-based weighting). The second step weights the sample distribution so that it matches the population in terms of region, age group and sex (population-based weighting)".
	The general household survey 2000 report presents weighted and unweighted data for 1998 to give an indication of the effect of weighting. Consequently, from 1998 there is discontinuity in the time trend with previous years.
	The ONS general household survey 2004 specifies that the effect of weighting on the smoking data is slight, increasing the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking by one percentage point each year".
	Unweighted data for the percentage of adults over 16 years who were smokers since 1998 is unavailable. From 1998, date is only available on a weighted basis.
	A further explanation regarding the introduction of weighting into the GHS can be found electronically at: http:///www.statistics.gov.uk/lib2000/.

Smoking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likely effect of increasing the rate of tax on tobacco on the levels of smoking in the population.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	The rate of tax on tobacco is just one of many factors that influence the levels of smoking in the population. HM Revenue and Customs and LSE academics have developed an economic model of the tobacco market, designed to evaluate the impact of tax and prices on the consumption of tobacco in the UK. The model is published in GES Working Paper No 150 The Demand for Tobacco Products in the UK" December 2004 and is available on HMRC's website.

Smoking

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are taking part in smoking cessation programmes in each primary care trust area in England and Wales.

Caroline Flint: Data on the number of people who set a quit date through the national health service stop smoking services and of those, how many had successfully quit, based on self report, by primary care trust in England, is published in table 18 in the statistical bulletin, Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2004 to March 2005". A copy is available in the Library.

Thrombosis

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes to undergraduate medical training have been put in place since the Government response to the Health Committee's report on prevention of venous thromboembolism in hospitalised patients.

Caroline Flint: At the same time that the Government published its response on 21 July 2005 to the Health Committee's report, Guidelines on the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalised Patients", the chief medical officer (CMO) issued a letter drawing the Committee's report to the attention of the General Medical Council, the Specialist Training Authority of the Medical Royal Colleges and the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board.
	The venous thromboembolism (VTE) independent expert working group, established by Government to make recommendations on the prevention and treatment of VTE in hospitalised patients to the CMO by summer 2006, is looking at the issue of including the appropriate use of thromboprophylaxis in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical training.

Thrombosis

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals (a) have thrombosis committees and (b) undertake risk assessment on new patients for thrombosis.

Caroline Flint: We are aware that there are a number of hospitals that have thrombosis committees and undertake risk assessments on new patients for thrombosis. As part of its work, the venous thromboembolism independent expert working group is currently identifying where this good practice exists around the country.

Thrombosis

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received on implementing the Health Select Committee's recommendations on the prevention of venous thromboembolism in hospitalised patients; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Government responded to the Health Committee's report on 21 July 2005. In our response, we announced that we would establish an independent expert working group on the prevention of venous thromboembolism in hospitalised patients. We have asked the VTE expert group to submit its report and recommendations to the chief medical officer by summer 2006. The first meeting of the group took place on 7 November 2005.

Thrombosis

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) remit and (b) composition is of the expert panel on venous thromboembolism (VTE) she has established to review the Health Select Committee's recommendations on the prevention of VTEs in hospitalised patients; and when she expects it to report.

Caroline Flint: The venous thromboembolism (VTE) independent expert working group has been asked to:
	Consider how current best practice and guidance can be promoted and implemented and what resources might be needed to support delivery of any strategy through existing structures. This includes consideration of the need to promote or clarify existing guidance on the use of:
	mechanical devices (foot-pumps)
	aspirin
	other pharmacological preparations (heparin or other anti -Xa agent);
	Recommend action for implementation pending publication of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence venous thromboembolism clinical guidelines in summer 2007; and
	Report to the chief medical officer by summer 2006.
	The VTE independent expert working group comprises 22 members. The expert group is chaired by Dr. Anita Thomas and includes representatives from all areas of expertise in venous thromboembolism including primary and secondary care, patient legal representation, education, nurses and victims. The group also has representatives from professional bodies representing the Academy of Medical and Royal Colleges and Faculties, British Cardiac Society, British Orthopaedic Society, British Thoracic Society, Citizens Advice Bureau, Healthcare Commission, National Patient Safety Agency, NHS Confederation and NICE.
	Details of the work of the VTE independent expert working group including its terms and reference and membership can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/vte.

CABINET OFFICE

Audible Fire Alarms

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the premises occupied by his Department is fitted with audible fire alarms.

Jim Murphy: All premises occupied by the Cabinet Office are fitted with audible fire alarms.

Departmental Estate (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what (a) land and (b) property is owned by his Department in Castle Point.

Jim Murphy: The Cabinet Office does not own any land or property in Castle Point.

Public Appointments (Pensions)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what percentage of the total public appointments for which he is responsible carry entitlement to a pension.

Jim Murphy: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is responsible for making appointments to five advisory non-departmental public bodies. None of the appointments carry entitlement to a pension.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Aerial Photographs

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many aerial photographs Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (a) took and (b) purchased from external suppliers in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The information is as follows:
	(a) In each of the last five years Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) has taken the following numbers of aerial photographs.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 1,315 
			 2002 1,950 
			 2003 2,720 
			 2004 2,368 
			 2005 2,825 
			 Total 11,178 
		
	
	(b) In each of the last five years Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland has not purchased any photographs from external suppliers to support its mapping programmes.
	However, between 2003 and 2005 OSNI has procured, via Government Purchasing Agency, the following numbers of aerial photographs as part of a project to create Orthophotography 1 coverage of Northern Ireland.
	1 Digital imagery in which distortion from the camera angle, perspective and ground slope has been removed, thus equalizing the scale across the entire image.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 0 
			 2002 0 
			 2003 4,539 
			 2004 1,798 
			 2005 2,263 
			 Total 8,600

Brooklands Primary School

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a decision will be made on the future provision of (a) a school crossing person at Brooklands Primary School at Dundonald in Strangford and (b) the retention of the toy and book library at the school.

Angela Smith: The South-Eastern Education and Library Board has confirmed that the employment of a temporary school crossing patrol at Brooklands Primary School will continue until such time as a review of the policy on school crossing patrols has been completed. This review is ongoing. A paper was recently submitted to the General Purposes Committee, which has requested additional information. This will be provided for the next meeting of the Committee in February.
	With regard to the retention of a toy and book library, the board has advised that this is a matter of the board of governors of Brooklands Primary School. While the board previously provided funding it has now determined that it can no longer provide such assistance in any of its schools.

Eastern Health Board

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the funding deficit of the Eastern Health Board; what steps he will take to address the funding deficit; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Eastern Health and Social Services Board is reporting a £511,000 surplus for the financial year to November 2005 and is forecasting a breakeven position for the year to March 2006.

Employment Statistics

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of adults aged over 25 years were seeking paid work in each region in the last year for which figures are available ranked in descending order by region.

Angela Smith: The following table provides relevant estimates from the 2004 NI Annual Labour Force Survey database.
	
		Adults aged over 25 who were seeking paid work by NUTS3 region
		
			 NUTS3 region Number of adults aged over25 seeking paid work Total number of adults aged over 25 Number of over 25s seeking paid work as a percentage of all over 25s 
		
		
			 North of NI 7,000 166,000 4 
			 West and South of NI 7,000 229,000 3 
			 Belfast (29)5,000 163,000 (29)3 
			 East of NI (29)4,000 250,000 (29)1 
			 Outer Belfast (29)3,000 252,000 (29)1 
			 Northern Ireland 25,000 1,060,000 2 
		
	
	(29) These estimates are based on small sample sizes and are therefore subject to a higher than usual degree of sampling variability. They should therefore be treated with caution.
	Source:
	2004 NI Annual Labour Force Survey Database

Employment Statistics

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of young adults aged 16 to 18 years in each region were notin education, training or work in the most recent year in which figures are available, ranked in descending order.

Angela Smith: The following table provides relevant estimates from the 2004 Annual Labour Force Survey database.
	
		Persons aged 16 to 18 who are not in education, training or work by NUTS3 region
		
			 NUTS3 region Number of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, training or work Total number of 16 to 18-year-olds Number of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, training or work as a percentage of all those aged 16–18 
		
		
			 Belfast (30)3,000 13,000 (30)21 
			 Outer Belfast (30)3,000 16,000 (30)16 
			 North of NI (30)2,000 15,000 (30)12 
			 East of NI (30)1,000 18,000 (30)6 
			 West and South of NI (31)— 18,000 (31)— 
			 Northern Ireland 8,000 80,000 10 
		
	
	(30) These estimates are based on small sample sizes and are therefore subject to a higher than usual degree of sampling variability. They should therefore be treated with caution.
	(31) Estimates are not shown as they are potentially disclosive.
	Source:
	2004 NI Annual Labour Force Survey Database.

High School (Saintfield)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a decision will be made on whether the proposed integrated high school in Saintfield will be approved; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: A decision will be made on this proposal within the next few weeks.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the IT projects costing over £1 million in use in his Department and introduced since 1997 have been scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee; and if he will list them.

Shaun Woodward: There have been five IT projects developed for the NIO since 1997, none of these were subject to scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many IT projects which cost over £1 million and were introduced since 1997 are in use in his Department.

Shaun Woodward: The following table refers to the Northern Ireland Office. It does not include figures for the 11 departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.
	
		
			  Project Purpose 
		
		
			 1997 —  
			 1998 —  
			 1999 OASIS Y2K Refresh To upgrade NIO Departmental infrastructure and make it Y2K compliant. 
			 1999 COMPASS (to 2002) To provide an e-human resources system for the Northern Ireland Prison Service. 
			 1998 Bloody Sunday Inquiry—Londonderry (to 2000) Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry. 
			 2000 TARIFF (to 2004) To provide office automation and an electronic claim process in system for criminal injuries compensation in Northern Ireland 
			 2001 PRISM (to spring 2006) To provide a prisoner record system for the Northern Ireland Prison Service 
			 2002 Causeway (PPP project to 2013) A joint enterprise by criminal justice organisations in Northern Ireland to share information electronically. 
			 2002 Bloody Sunday Inquiry—London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry. 
			 2003 DPP INFRASTRUCTURE To implement a modern ICT infrastructure for the DPP NI. 
			 2003 FLAX (to 2004) Replace NIO IT infrastructure, provide Internet and intranet an meet electronic document and records management targets.

Laptop computers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many laptop computers have been used by (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department in each year since 1995; how many have been (i) lost and (ii) stolen in that period; what the cost was of the use of laptops in that period; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The following table gives information on laptops purchased by the Northern Ireland Office.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1996–97 25 
			 1997–98 28 
			 1998–99 34 
			 1999–00 55 
			 2000–01 30 
			 2001–02 22 
			 2002–03 34 
			 2003–04 37 
			 2004–05 34 
		
	
	Neither the current Secretary of State nor Ministers have laptops.
	In the period from 1999 to date private offices were provided with a total of seven laptops. Detailed information prior to 1999 is not available. There are two laptops currently with Ministers' special advisers.
	No laptops have been reported lost. Three laptops have been reported as stolen. Each cost in the region of £1,500.

MRSA

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients in each hospital in Northern Ireland (a) contracted MRSA and (b) died of MRSA in the last two years; how many of each were senior citizens; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the guidelines for greater hygiene practice have had on the number of incidents.

Shaun Woodward: Except in the case of the mandatory returns on patient episodes of MRSA bacteraemias, hospital Trusts are not required to record or collate the numbers of patients who are colonised or infected with MRSA, or their age. MRSA bacteraemia tables derived from data supplied by acute hospital Trusts are published annually by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) Northern Ireland. The fourth and latest annual report on this indicator for MRSA infection in hospitals is available on the CDSC website at www.cdscni.org.uk.
	Causes of death are classified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD), but the current version does not have a specific code for MRSA. Statistics on deaths where MRSA was a contributing factor can be obtained by identifying deaths registered with specific conditions likely to be linked with MRSA and then manually checking the death certificate to identify whether MRSA was recorded. The following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland in the two-year period 2003–04, where MRSA was mentioned on the death certificate, by place of death and pensionable age. The figures relate to all deaths where MRSA was mentioned on the certificate, regardless of whether it was the primary cause of death or not.
	
		
			  MRSA mentions on death certificates in the period 2003 to 2004 
		
		
			 Place of death (HSS Trust) All ages Pensionable age(33) 
			 Hospital   
			 Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 5 4 
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 11 10 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 1 1 
			 Craigavon area Hospital Group HSS Trust 7 4 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 4 4 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust 4 4 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 1 0 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 6 6 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 7 7 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals HSS Trust 3 3 
			 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 8 8 
			 Other(32) 17 16 
			 Total 74 67 
		
	
	(32) Other' place of death includes deaths in nursing homes or in the home.
	(33) 'Pensionable age' is defined as males aged 65 and over and females aged 60 and over.
	Individual hospitals are working to effect improved hygiene among staff, patients and visitors through guidelines, controls assurance standards and other means. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ran an extensive TV advertising campaign last year on hand hygiene and antibiotic resistance. There was a 4.25 per cent. reduction in GP prescriptions of antibiotics in 2004–05 over the previous year (from 1.81m to 1.74m), at a time when overall numbers of prescriptions continue to rise.

Planning Applications

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide the necessary financial resources to Planning Service in order that they can (a) process area plans and (b) accelerate the processing of outstanding planning applications.

Angela Smith: My right hon. Friend the Minister of the Environment is content that the Planning Service has the necessary resources to enable it to deliver its programme of up-to-date area plan coverage for Northern Ireland and to improve the performance in processing planning applications.
	In relation to both area plans and the processing of planning applications, there are many other parties involved such as, consultees, developers, agents and others, all of whom have a key role to play in ensuring a timely and efficient planning system.
	The Planning Service is now in the third year of a three-year modernisation programme to deliver fundamental reforms to the planning system. Indeed as part of the Northern Ireland Priorities and Budget 2005–08, Planning Service secured an additional £5.5 million of funding to deliver the programme. Key elements involve the streamlining, strengthening and comprehensive reform of development control, development planning and planning policy processes.

Rates Revaluation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland is providing to the Valuation and Lands Agency to assist the rates revaluation in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) provides the following information to the Valuation and Lands Agency, as part of an ongoing service agreement. This information is provided for use within VLA's own office, for its own internal business use.
	Large Scale 1:1250 and 1:2500 Vector Digital Data full Northern Ireland coverage
	POINTER Address Data
	1:10,000 Raster Colour Digital Data 44 per cent. coverage in ECW format
	1:10,000 Raster Monochrome Digital Data full Northern Ireland coverage in TIFF format
	1:12,000 Belfast Street Map Colour Digital Data in TIFF format
	Discoverer Series 1:50,000 Raster Colour Digital Data full Northern Ireland coverage
	1:50,000 Vector Digital Data (Ward Townland LGD) in Mapinfo format
	1:210,000 Raster Colour Digital Data full Northern Ireland coverage in TIFF format
	Coverage Diagram in DXF format
	34.47 per cent. Orthophotography coverage of Northern Ireland (101 IG Sheets)—ECW format
	Of the aforementioned products, the following are used by VLA to assist the rates revaluation in Northern Ireland.
	Large Scale 1:1250 and 1:2500 Vector Digital Data full Northern Ireland coverage
	POINTER Address Data
	Discoverer Series 1:50,000 Raster Colour Digital Data full Northern Ireland coverage

Restorative Justice

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the participation of people known to be associated with a paramilitary organisation in community-based restorative justice schemes.

David Hanson: The draft guidelines for community based restorative justice, which are currently the subject of public consultation, make clear that it is unacceptable for anyone involved in paramilitary activity or criminality to work in schemes.
	The consultation paper specifically seeks the views of respondents on the impact which the existence of past convictions should have on the assessment of an individual's suitability. Government will carefully consider the views of all respondents before coming to a final decision on the way forward.

Telecare Scheme

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will bring funding for the Telecare Scheme in Northern Ireland into line with provision in other parts of the country.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 1077W.

Telecare Scheme

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will appoint a lead provider for the Telecare Scheme.

Shaun Woodward: I do not intend to appoint a lead provider for the Telecare Scheme in Northern Ireland. That is a matter for local service commissioners subject to value for money and procurement guidelines.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are resident in (a) Sandwell, (b) Dudley, (c) Wolverhampton, (d) Walsall, (e) Birmingham, (f) Solihull and (g) Coventry borough.

Tony McNulty: Statistics on the location of asylum seekers in the UK are linked to the available information on the support that the asylum seeker receives. The number of asylum seekers supported by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) are published on a quarterly and annual basis, broken down by local authority. The most recent publication covering the third quarter of 2005, and further historical publications are available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1 .html.
	Data on asylum seekers supported by NASS broken down by parliamentary constituency are also available from the Library of the House.

Asylum Seekers

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2006, to Question 38216, how long each of the 11 people who had their National Asylum Support Service support stopped in Leeds, North West following a final negative decision on their claim for asylum waited before they were deported.

Tony McNulty: Of the 11 people referred to in my earlier reply one has been removed from the United Kingdom. The removal took place four months 27 days after their most recent asylum claim was fully determined.

Cash-in-transit Crime

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Serious Organised Crime Agency will be involved in the combating of cash-in-transit crime.

Paul Goggins: The Serious Organised Crime (SOCA), as the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) did before it, will continue to gather and analyse intelligence at a strategic level. SOCA will be targeting criminals based on an assessment of the harm they cause and the impact that can be achieved. This may result in SOCA taking action; or action may be taken by local police forces who will be able to seek assistance from SOCA if they judge they require it.

Child Support Agency

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is Government policy that the IT company who designed and maintains the Child Support Agency (CSA) Case Management System is responsible for determining whether an individual's case is eligible for a manual calculation if their case cannot be logged onto the CSA computer system.

James Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Hilary Reynolds, dated 30 December 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for the Home Office, whether it is Government policy that the IT company who designed and maintains the Child Support Agency (CSA) Case Management system is responsible for determining whether an individual's case if eligible for a manual calculation if their case cannot be logged onto the CSA computer system.
	It is not Government policy to allow the IT company who designed and maintains the Agency's Case Management system to determine whether an individual's case is managed 'clerically'. Technical expertise from the supplier will be used to inform a decision, but the decision itself is made by the Agency.
	I hope you find this helpful.

Closure Orders

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many closure orders have been issued in each of the past two years.

Paul Goggins: From January 2004, when the powers to close premises under Section two of the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003 commenced, until September 2004, 176 premises were closed.
	From October 2004 to September 2005, 338 premises were closed.

Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when his Department will reply to the letter of 5 July 2005 from the right hon. Member for Warley regarding Mr. and Mrs. Ergonul of Siwell Road, Smethwick;
	(2)  when his Department will reply to the letter of 5 October from the right hon. Member for Warley regarding Ms Beckford of Queens Close, Smethwick.

Tony McNulty: I replied to my right hon. Friend for Warley, on 17 January 2006.

Departmental Data

Gavin Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what methods his Department employs to ensure that its data is up-to-date, with particular reference to information on people who have (a) moved house and (b) died.

Andy Burnham: A variety of means are used to ensure that the Home Office keeps the personal data it holds up to date including:
	Internal cross checking across business units;
	Customer helpdesk;
	Proactive communications with clients;
	Website facilities; and
	Where it is appropriate and lawful, sharing personal data between Government Departments and other parts of the public sector.

Disorder Offences

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been imprisoned for defaulting on the payment of a fixed penalty notice given for a disorder offence in each of the last two years.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested is not available.

DNA Database

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were investigated in each year since 1995 for improperly adding samples to the National DNA Database.

Andy Burnham: Neither the Home Office nor the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) are aware of any police officers having been investigated for improperly taking DNA samples for adding to the National DNA Database. The IPCC has not investigated any such incidents to date. Nor are we aware of any police force in England and Wales having carried out an internal investigation into such a case.

Forensic Science Service

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to increase the capacity of the Forensic Science Service.

Andy Burnham: The recent establishment of the Forensic Science Service (FSS) as a Government owned company, undertaken at the direction of the Secretary of State, was designed to provide the FSS with the freedoms, flexibility, structures and resources to better respond to customer needs in terms of balancing capacity and demand and in addressing timeliness of service requirements in support of the Criminal Justice System.

Haroon Rashid Aswat

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reach a decision on whether to extradite Haroon Rashid Aswat to the US; what the considerations are on which his decision will be based; and whether Mr. Aswat has been questioned regarding any information he might have about the London bombings of 7 and 21 July 2005.

Andy Burnham: Under the terms of the Extradition Act 2003 ("The 2003 Act"), this case was sent by a District Judge to the Secretary of State, on 5 January 2006, for the latter's decision as to whether Mr. Aswat is to be extradited. Under section 93 of the 2003 Act, Mr. Aswat has six weeks, starting with 5 January 2006, within which to make representations against his extradition. The Secretary of State will make his decision as soon as possible after that time has passed. The exact date is likely to depend upon the time needed for due consideration of any representations that may be received.
	While the case remains before the Secretary of State for decision, I cannot comment upon it. In all cases heard under part two of the 2003 Act the law requires the Secretary of State to decide whether he is prohibited from ordering a person's extradition under any of the following sections of the 2003 Act: (a) section 94 (death penalty); (b) section 95 (speciality); or (c) s.96 (earlier extradition to the UK from another territory). The full text of the 2003 Act may be obtained from HMSO (Her Majesty's Stationary Office) or found at:
	http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/20030041.htm
	As to whether Mr. Aswat has been questioned, regarding any information he might have about the London bombings of 7 July 2005 and the failed bombings of 21 July 2005, it is not appropriate to comment on ongoing investigations.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2005, Official Report, column 1915W, on identity cards, whether mechanisms are planned to be put in place to ensure that radio frequency identification tags will not be used in the identity card scheme at some future date without this matter being decided by primary legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: There are no plans to use radio frequency identification tags, as they would serve no purpose which is relevant to the identity cards scheme. The Identity Cards Bill which is currently before Parliament provides a power for Parliament to approve regulations prescribing the form in which information is to be recorded in or on an ID card. The Government believes that this is the appropriate level of Parliamentary scrutiny which is consistent with the report on the Bill of the House of Lords Delegated Powers Committee.

Identity Cards

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the planned identity card database will use council tax information held by (a) local authorities and (b) the Valuation Office Agency.

Andy Burnham: Currently, the identity cards programme does not anticipate that any council tax information held by either local authorities or the Valuation Office Agency will be used as part of the identity cards scheme.
	Clause 11 of the Identity Cards Bill does provide for the ability of the Identity Cards scheme to check information provided by an individual for the purpose of being recorded on the National Identity Register against records held on other public sector databases. However, use of such information would require the specific approval of Parliament by affirmative order.

Identity Databases

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what international standards the Government will be expected to meet by 2010 as part of its treaty obligations to ensure that it is compliant with controls of passports and data exchange.

Andy Burnham: International standards for passports including more recent specifications for the protection of data held on e-passports are laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). United Kingdom passports are compliant with those standards.

Khat Report

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the Home Office report commissioned by his Department on 'Khat (Qat): Assessment of Risk to the Individual and Communities in the UK' by Dr. T. M. Williams of the University of Bristol.

Paul Goggins: The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs was asked by the Home Office to undertake a comprehensive review of Khat and report back to the Home Secretary by the end of 2005. The Advisory Council's report, is currently with the Home Secretary and will be published in due course, together with the Home Secretary's response.
	Dr. T. M. Williams was commissioned by the Advisory Council, not the Home Office, to contribute to the Advisory Council's report and his contribution has been subsumed into its report.

Parenting Programmes

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much investment is earmarked for parenting programmes in 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	The recently launched Respect action plan outlines our commitment to invest up to £52 million over the next two years to enable a change in the way public services offer support to parents and families. This investment will facilitate delivery of evidence based good quality parenting programmes in main stream settings such as children's centres and extended schools. As part of the action plan over the next three years a further £45 million will be made available to the Youth Justice Board to fund early intervention preventative programmes including new resources for parenting interventions.
	In addition over £28 million will be available in 2006 for the support of parents, carers and their families. This money which will be allocated to the voluntary and community sector through five grant programmes. These will contribute to our continued investment in the direct delivery of parenting programmes, research, evaluation, consultation and training of parenting support practitioners.

Proceeds of Crime Act

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money seized as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was allocated to (a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire in each year of the Act's operation; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Information is not available in the form requested. Receipts from recovered criminal assets are allocated to a range of initiatives. The Recovered Assets Incentive Fund was set up in 2003–04 with £15.5 million a year for three years to incentivise asset recovery agencies. From the Fund, the West Midlands Regional Asset Recovery Team, which covers Staffordshire, was allocated £4.4 million over three years to disrupt criminal groups, confiscate more criminal assets and to tackle money laundering.
	A new police incentivisation scheme introduced in 2004–05 has enabled police forces in England and Wales, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, to receive a share of the criminal assets they recover locally. Under the scheme Staffordshire police received £39,690 this financial year based on its performance in 2004–05.
	From 2006–07 a new incentive scheme will operate under which all agencies involved in asset recovery will get back 50 per cent. of the assets they recover.

Proceeds of Crime Act

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been successfully claimed back under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each of the past two years.

Paul Goggins: The total value of assets recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and earlier legislation, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland was £54.5 million in 2003–04 and £84.4 million in 2004–05.

Terrorism (UK Airports)

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the potential terrorist threat to (a) London Luton Airport and (b) civil airports in the UK generally; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: I have been asked to reply
	The Department for Transport communicates the potential terrorist threat to aviation in the UK, and any changes to it to all UK airports within the National Aviation Security Programme. At a local level airports and their stakeholders undertake a multi agency threat and risk assessment process. It would not be appropriate to publicise details.

Traffic Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females were (i) prosecuted for and (ii) convicted of ignoring a no entry sign in (A) Southend, (B) the Metropolitan police area of London and (C) England and Wales in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Paul Goggins: The Research Development and Statistics—Office for Criminal Justice Reform (RDS-OCJR) Court Proceedings Database does not separately identify offences of ignoring 'no entry' signs within the categories of offences grouped together as neglect of traffic directions.

Traffic Offences

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females were convicted of motoring offences in (i) Tamworth, (ii) Staffordshire and (iii) England and Wales in 2004, broken down by offence.

Paul Goggins: The information from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is contained in the table and gives the number of males and females found guilty of motoring offences by offence class in Staffordshire police force area, and England and Wales 2004. It is not possible to identify those found guilty in Tamworth, as the data is not collected at this level of detail.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty of motoring offences by gender and offence class at all courts in Staffordshire, and England and Wales, 2004 (34)
		
			  Staffordshire England and Wales 
			 Offence class Males Females Males Females 
		
		
			 Dangerous driving 61 4 5169 191 
			 Driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 1,323 210 76,428 10,169 
			 Careless driving 580 151 17,845 3,201 
			 Accident offences 168 24 5,246 911 
			 Driving Licence related offences 954 68 52,550 4,087 
			 Vehicle Insurance Offences 3,827 411 195,155 22,932 
			 Vehicle Registration and Excise Licence offences 66 14 17,708 4,495 
			 Work record or employment offences 15 0 2,267 37 
			 Operator's Licence offences 1 0 510 21 
			 Vehicle Test offences 95 6 12,986 1,495 
			 Fraud, forgery, etc. associated with vehicle or driver records 19 0 2,406 232 
			 Vehicle, or part, in dangerous or defective condition 109 13 7,061 573 
			 Speed limit offences 3,379 950 118,920 27,212 
			 Motorway offence (other than speeding) 26 0 1,253 171 
			 Neglect of traffic directions 66 7 18,838 3,964 
			 Neglect of pedestrian rights 19 0 1,916 369 
			 Obstruction, waiting and parking offences 22 8 7,638 2,144 
			 Lighting offences 32 0 2,178 215 
			 Noise offences 4 0 379 24 
			 Load offences 146 2 4,686 132 
			 Offences peculiar to motorcycles 6 0 297 9 
			 Miscellaneous offences (including trailer offences) 2,218 431 61,295 13,063 
			 Total 13,136 2,299 612,731 95,647 
		
	
	(34) These data are based on the principal offence basis

Worker Registration Scheme

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from the accession states had registered under the Worker Registration Scheme by 1 October.

Tony McNulty: The Accession Monitoring report for May 2004 to September 2005 sets out the number of citizens from the eight Accession Countries of the EU (Accession State nationals) who have applied to register with the Worker Registration Scheme during this period. This report is available on the Home Office website via:
	http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/0/reports/accession_monitoring.html

Yarl's Wood Detention Centre

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a report from the Children's Commissioner on the condition of children detained in Yarl's Wood; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: We have received the report of the Children Commissioner's visit to Yarl's Wood. We are currently giving this report careful consideration and will respond to the Commissioner's recommendations in due course.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proposal to promote the licensing of Afghan poppy farmers to produce the raw materials for the manufacture of diamorphine and codeine.

Kim Howells: The proposal to promote the licensing of Afghan poppy farmers to produce the raw materials for the manufacture of diamorphine and codeine was put forward in the Senlis Council's Feasibility Study on Opium Licensing in Afghanistan for the Production of Morphine and Other Essential Medicines". We are following the work of the Senlis Council and have considered the findings from their study. However, we do not believe that such licensing is a realistic solution to the problems of opium cultivation in Afghanistan, not least because it risks a high level of diversion of licit opium into illegal channels. It is clear from the feasibility study, as well as expert opinion, that Afghanistan currently does not meet the prerequisites necessary to control licit cultivation. There is also a risk that prices would rise, attracting new entrants into the illicit market.
	The production of opium is also contrary to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The Afghan Government has expressed its opposition to licit cultivation in Afghanistan. When the Senlis Council presented its study in Afghanistan in September 2005, the Afghan Minister for Counter Narcotics, Habibullah Qaderi, said,
	The poor security situation in the country means there can simply be no guarantee that opium will not be smuggled out of the country for the illicit narcotics trade abroad. Without an effective control mechanism, a lot of opium will still be refined into heroin for illicit markets in the West and elsewhere. We could not accept this."

Afghanistan

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the percentage change has been in opium production in Afghanistan in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The figures for opium production in the last six months in Afghanistan are not yet available. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will provide an early indication of this season's (2005–06) production figures in their Rapid Assessment Survey, which is due to be published in the next couple of weeks. In November 2005, the UNODC confirmed the poppy cultivation and production figures for the 2004–05 season from their annual survey. They estimated that opium production was around 4,100 metric tonnes, a decrease of only 100 tonnes (2.4 per cent.) compared to 2004, despite a significant 21 per cent. reduction in poppy cultivation from 131,000 hectares (ha) in 2003–04 to 104,000 ha in 2004–05. Good weather and an absence of crop disease were responsible for a significant increase in yield in 2004–05.

Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has asked the United States Administration to provide documented evidence to support the assurances provided by Dr. Rice on the condition under which rendition of detainees has taken place in instances when United States aircraft have used United Kingdom airports for re-fuelling.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's answer to the right hon. Member for North East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell) on 12 December 2005, Official Report, column 1652–53W. As noted in that answer, in the two cases where the Government gave permission for the rendition of a detainee via UK territory and airspace, the detainees were en route to criminal trial in the United States.

Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2840–1W on airspace (extraordinary rendition), whether there must be 'substantial grounds' or 'grounds' to suspect that a person would face a real risk of torture, for the transfer of an individual from or through the UK to another state not to be permitted.

Kim Howells: The European Convention on Human Rights prohibits the United Kingdom from removing someone where there are substantial grounds for believing that they face a real risk of torture.

Audible Fire Alarms

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the premises occupied by his Department is fitted with audible fire alarms.

Jack Straw: Approximately 91 per cent. of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's UK Estate is covered by Audible Fire Alarms.

Cherie Booth

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether assistance was offered by the Government to facilitate a meeting in Turkey between Cherie Booth QC, Mr. and Mrs. Orams and Mr. Hassan Vahib; whether accommodation within the Department's premises was made available to Cherie Booth during this visit; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Cherie Booth QC visited Turkey last year in her professional capacity as a barrister. The Government did not facilitate any of the meetings held, nor did it offer to do so. Nor was she offered or provided with accommodation by the Government. Her representation of David and Linda Orams is entirely independent of Government.
	Cherie Booth is subject to security considerations at all times, even when she is travelling—as in this instance—as a private citizen. Consequently, she was accompanied to Turkey by her close protection team and given no more consular assistance than was commensurate with her security requirements.

Cuba

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Cuba.

Douglas Alexander: We continue to be concerned about the political situation in Cuba. Cuba is a one-party state with considerable restrictions on fundamental human rights. The situation has deteriorated in recent months, notably through further crackdowns on dissidents and curtailment of political and economic liberties. The UK and EU policy in Cuba is to encourage a process of peaceful transition to pluralist democracy. We continue to press the Cuban authorities to respect human rights and political freedoms and issued several statements under our EU presidency expressing our concern at the Cuban authorities' harsh treatment of the peaceful opposition. These views were put to the outgoing Cuban ambassador and, to the incoming ambassador, at a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group Cuba on 8 November 2005.

Departmental Staff (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff employed by his Department live in Castle Point.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold staff records in a form that would enable this information to be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departmental Vehicles

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cars are (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department; what models the cars are; what type of petrol each model requires; and what the fuel efficiency is of each model.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) vehicle fleet is split between the home fleet, operated by FCO Services, and the overseas fleet operated by overseas posts. The overseas fleet comprises 1400 vehicles, most of which are owned by the FCO. Approximately 15 are leased locally. The fleet comprises a mixture of protected and soft skin vehicles. 225 vehicles in the overseas fleet are designated as 'flag' cars for use by heads of posts.
	Forty percent. of the overseas fleet vehicles are manufactured by Land Rover, Jaguar or Ford. The remaining vehicles, which were purchased on the basis of being best suited to local climatic conditions, were obtained from a variety of manufacturers.
	The type of fuel used overseas is based upon local availability and local conditions in the region concerned. However, this is primarily unleaded petrol, unless diesel is easily available and cheaper.
	Each overseas post is responsible for monitoring fuel consumption and efficiency.
	Since the acquisition and running of vehicles in the overseas fleet is the responsibility of individual posts and detailed records are not held centrally, to obtain the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate costs.
	The FCO's home fleet comprises 12 vehicles, which are based in King Charles Street, London, and at Hanslope Park, near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. These vehicles were purchased by the FCO outright. The Hanslope Park fleet of four Ford Galaxies are all diesel (1.9cc) and achieve 42mpg. The Central London fleet comprises two Ford Galaxies of which one is a petrol vehicle (2.3cc) achieving 28mpg, and one diesel (1.9cc) achieving 42mpg;
	Four Vauxhall Omegas—of which two are petrol/dual fuel (2.2cc) vehicles achieving 29mpg, and two petrol (2.0cc) achieving 31 mpg; and two Rover 75 V6 petrol (2.0cc) achieving 29mpg.

Dr. Vanunu

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the government of Israel regarding (a) nuclear weapons and (b) Dr. Vanunu.

Kim Howells: The Government take appropriate opportunities to discuss all aspects of non-proliferation with representatives of the Israeli Government. We have, on a number of occasions, called on Israel to accede to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, and to conclude a full scope safeguards agreement and Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
	The United Kingdom strongly supports the establishment of a zone free from all Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East, including through the EU Barcelona Process. The Barcelona Declaration of 1995 includes a call on all states in the region to pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.
	Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv last raised the restrictions on Mr. Vanunu on 6 September 2005 to note our concern that the restrictions imposed on Mr. Vanunu had been extended. My noble Friend the then Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister responsible for our relations with the Middle East, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, initially raised our concerns about the restrictions imposed upon Mr. Vanunu with the Israeli Charge following his release in April 2004. We recognise that Israel has a right to protect its national security but we are concerned that the restrictions may be excessive. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv have since been in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the decision to extend the length of time these restrictions will apply for Mr. Vanunu.

Embassies and Consulates

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the potential savings which would result from combining UK embassies and consulates with those of other English speaking countries.

Jack Straw: None. Nor could any such estimate be produced without incurring disproportionate costs.

Eritrea

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place to ensure that part of the UN peacekeeping force is allowed to remain in Eritrea.

Kim Howells: The UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) provides a vital stabilising factor in the border dispute between the two countries. The restrictions placed on UNMEE by Eritrea are wholly unacceptable. We have worked with United Nations Security Council partners to press Eritrea to reverse these restrictions. In particular, we supported the adoption of Security Council resolution 1640 (2005) demanding that all restrictions be lifted and that both Eritrea and Ethiopia take action to reduce tension by returning troops to previous positions. The resolution repeated the Security Council's call on both parties to ensure the implementation of the decision of the Ethiopia/Eritrea Boundary Commission. Most recently, the Security Council met on 9 January to review compliance with UNSCR 1640 and UNMEE's continued ability to operate. The Council has agreed that UNMEE should retain its present functions and configuration while concerted efforts are made to address the wider border dispute. We are working closely with the United States and other interested parties to engage Eritrea and Ethiopia in these efforts. We continue to keep the situation under close review.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Joint Committee (EEC-Vietnam), (b) Joint Committee (EEC-Central America), (c) Joint Committee (EEC-Mexico) and (d) EEC-Mercosur Joint Advisory Committee have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The EC-Vietnam Joint Commission met on 5 October 2005. The presidency was represented by officials from the British Embassy in Hanoi. There have been no meetings of the EC Joint Committees on Central America, Mexico and Mercosur during the UK presidency.
	The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government. A copy of which is available at: http://wwwtdca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf. Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

EU Committees

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) formal and (b) informal EU Council of Minister meetings attended by UK Government delegations there have been since 1 July 1999; how many were led by Scottish Government Ministers; and what the (i) date and (ii) subjects of each meeting was.

Douglas Alexander: To find the date and subject of every formal or informal EU Council of Ministers meeting held since 1 July 1999 which a UK delegation attended would incur disproportionate costs. I refer the hon. Member to the website of the Council of Ministers at http://ue.eu.int where he should find much of the information he seeks.
	Scottish interests are represented at all EU Council meetings by the UK delegation. On certain occasions Scottish Executive Ministers also attend EU Council meetings, as part of the UK delegation, at the discretion of the lead UK Minister. This happened most recently at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in December, which Scottish Executive Minister Ross Finnie attended. The Scottish Executive is also consulted on any matters of devolved interest likely to be raised at Council meetings.
	Scottish Executive Ministers have attended EU Council meetings on 74 occasions since 1999. Detailed attendance can be found at:
	http://www.Scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations/Europe/Page6.
	During this time Scottish Executive Ministers have led the UK delegation on three occasions:
	
		
			 Date Council Minister 
		
		
			 8 June 2000 Education Nicol Stephen 
			 12 February 2001 Education Nicol Stephen 
			 4 June 2001 Health Susan Deacon

EU Staff

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are employed by the (i) European Commission, (ii) Council of Ministers, (iii) European Parliament and (iv) agencies of the EU.

Douglas Alexander: I am placing in the Library of the House a table from the Bulletin Statistique, Le Personnel de la Commission, Commission Europe"enne, Direction Ge"ne"rale du Personnel et de 1'Administration, Direction Personnel et Carrie"re, January 2006, p. 4 giving the number of full-time employees of the European Commission, the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and agencies of the European Union as at January 2006. The figures for part-time employees of these institutions were not available at the time of answering this question. They have been requested and will be sent to the hon. Member separately, and placed in the Library of the House.

EU-Morocco Fishing Agreement

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made in relation to the EU-Morocco fishing agreement; and what discussions he has had with representatives of the Saharawi people on the agreement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made no representations about the EU/Morocco fishing agreement. Nor has he met with representatives of the Saharawi people. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have, however, met representatives of the Frente Polisario and discussed this issue with them.

Global Opportunities Fund

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 14 December 2005, Official Report, columns 2064–66W, on the Global Opportunities Fund, if he will list the countries where his Department has supported democracy building projects under the Global Opportunities Fund in each of the last three years; and how much financial support was provided to each country.

Kim Howells: We support a broad range of projects that underpin the development of democracy, including addressing issues such as freedom of expression and the development of civil society. Details of projects under the Global Opportunities Fund (GOF) programmes in 2003–04 and 2004–05 are set out in the GOF Annual Reports (Command Papers 6413 and 6665 published in December 2004 and October 2005 respectively).
	In 2005–06, GOF projects relating to these areas are being undertaken in the following countries: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Belarus, China, Colombia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam and Yemen. Financial out-turns for the projects in these countries are not yet available.
	In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office makes a grant-in-aid through the GOF to the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) to support work on these issues. Details of the countries in which they undertook projects in 2003–04 and 2004–05 are set out in WFD's Annual Reviews, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. In 2005–06, WFD is supporting projects in the following countries: Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burma, Balkans, Belarus, Caucasus, Central Eastern Europe, Congo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Lesotho, Lithuania, Morocco, Moldova, Middle East and North Africa, Macedonia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Peru, Palestine, Romania, Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Turkey, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Financial out-turns for projects in these countries are also not yet available.

International Whaling Commission

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the 2005 International Whaling Commission (IWC) to secure a debt amnesty in the IWC which would permit the participation of Costa Rica, Kenya and Uruguay.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK initiated the recommendation adopted at last years International Whaling Commission (IWC) annual meeting (IWC57), which asked the IWC Secretariat to explore the financial implications for the IWC of a debt amnesty and to produce proposals. Any document which the Secretariat produces in respect of this Recommendation will have to be considered by the next meeting of the IWC. Proposals for changes to the IWC's Financial Regulation would (if made) not come into effect until after they had been agreed by IWC58 and cannot therefore affect the position of those countries who, but for outstanding debt, might attend IWC58 and seek to exercise voting rights at that meeting.

International Whaling Commission

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the United Kingdom Government are taking to check Japan's progress towards obtaining a majority bloc at the International Whaling Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK Government continues to urge other conservation minded countries to join the International Whaling Commission (IWC). I have recently written to seven conservation minded countries urging them to join the IWC in time for this years annual IWC meeting. I and my fellow Ministers also raise the issue of the IWC with our international counterparts at every suitable opportunity.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the release of (a) Dr. Huda Ammash, (b) Mrs. Rihab Taha and (c) other high-ranking Iraqi detainees in Iraq in December 2005; whether each remains free; and for what reasons each was initially detained.

Kim Howells: Certain individuals detained as a threat to security under UN Security Council Resolution 1546, including Dr. Huda Ammash and Mrs. Rihab Taha, were released from custody in December 2005. Any further action against them is a matter for the Iraqi authorities.

Jordan

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department has provided for projects in Jordan in each of the last five years; and how much such funding is planned for the 2005–06 financial year.

Kim Howells: The funding below was for projects funded by the Global Opportunities Fund, the Global Conflict Prevention Pool and the Directorate Programme Budget. In addition we contributed towards EU funding for Jordan of which €243 million was provided between 2003–04. Under the EU's National Indicative Programme for the period 2005–06, €110 million of new commitments is foreseen for Jordan. €60 million have been already committed in 2005. The priorities include assisting Jordan to take forward its political, social and economic commitments in its European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan.
	The Department for International Development have also contributed funding for Jordan in the time period requested in the question.
	
		
			  Amount (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 53,000 
			 2002–03 167,716 
			 2003–04 564,830 
			 2004–05 555,688 
			 2005–06 804,153

Kazakhstan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights in Kazakhstan.

Douglas Alexander: We welcome the progress that the Government of Kazakhstan has made on human rights and democratic reform since independence. This includes a moratorium on the death penalty, progress on prison reform including reduction of the number of persons in detention and the introduction of public monitoring of places of detention, and, most recently in December 2005, ratification of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
	But there is still some way to go. Political pluralism has been affected negatively by legislation, which restricts freedom of expression, association and assembly. The powers of the Parliament and Government and the independence of the judiciary could be further enhanced to introduce checks and balances into the system of administration. In December 2005, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights International Observation Mission noted that despite some administrative improvements, the presidential elections did not meet international standards.
	Wherever possible we look to work with the Kazakh authorities to improve the human rights situation. We have funded projects aimed at improving the conditions in prisons, preventing torture in places of detention and encouraging the abolition of the death penalty. We have an on-going dialogue with the Government of Kazakhstan on transparency issues and are working closely with non-governmental organisations on this too. We also stand ready to work with President Nazarbayev on his programme of democratic reforms.
	When he met Foreign Minister Tokayev following the presentation of his credentials on 9 January, our newly accredited ambassador to Kazakhstan, Paul Brummell, assured the Foreign Minister of the readiness of the British Government to work with Kazakhstan across this agenda.
	We will continue to raise, both bilaterally and with our EU partners, the importance of respect for human rights and good governance in Kazakhstan and look for opportunities to provide suitable assistance.

Middle East

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department provided for good governance and democracy within the Arab world in each of the last five years, broken down by country; and what support is planned for each country for the 2005–06 financial year.

Kim Howells: As part of the Global Opportunities Fund (GOF) launched by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in May 2003, the engaging with the Islamic World programme is designed to promote the rule of law, increased participation of women, economic reform and good governance initiatives in the Islamic World. The following table shows funding allocated in support of good governance and democracy projects within the Arab world in 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06. Examples of projects supported can be found in the Global Opportunities Fund annual report which is available in the Library of the House.
	Prior to the launching of GOF, a significant proportion of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Middle East and North Africa directorate (MENAD) programme budget was used to support good governance and democracy in the region. MENAD's directorate programme budget was £1,017,176 in 2001–02, £1,304,100 in 2002–03, £1,147,505 in 2003–04, £1,363,505 in £2004–05, and £1,099,884 in 2005–06.
	More widely, through our membership of the EU we contribute towards the EU Mediterranean Partnership which since 1995 has provided southern Mediterranean countries with financial support—around £1 billion Euros a year in grants and another £2 billion Euros a year in loans. Details of EU assistance per country and per project can be found at http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/med/bilateral_en.htm
	The Euromed summit in Barcelona in November, which the UK chaired as EU presidency, agreed to establish a substantial governance facility to help Southern Mediterranean countries which make progress on good governance.
	
		Global opportunities fund—engaging the Islamic World programme—Funding allocated in support of democracy and good governance in the Arab World (£)
		
			  2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Bahrain — 53,489 177,016 
			 Egypt — 17,423 306,144 
			 Jordan — 218,788 658,352.76 
			 Kuwait — — 15,759 
			 Lebanon — 43,902.50 237,116 
			 Libya — 88,098 283,601 
			 Morocco 54,108 115,855 474,980 
			 Oman 47,289 4946.76 188,465 
			 Palestine — 10,000 232,266.09 
			 Qatar — — 11,443.10 
			 Saudi Arabia 35,017.12 145,258.66 275,092 
			 Syria 53,113 74,000 7500 
			 UAE — — 116,042 
			 Yemen 26,783.18 118,150.18 503,102 
			 Multiple Countries 894,774 2,022,364.20 3,136,611.30 
			 
			 Totals 1,111,084.30 2,912,275.30 6,623,490.25 
			 Grand Total 10,646,849.85

Moldova

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is towards Moldova joining the European Union.

Douglas Alexander: Moldova has not applied for membership of the European Union. We continue to encourage Moldova to implement the reforms set out in the jointly agreed European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan, which was launched in February 2005. In this context, the Government welcome Moldova's European aspirations and strongly supports efforts to promote economic and political reforms, aimed at bringing Moldova closer to EU standards.